How to Make and Customize Banners in Minecraft (2026 Guide)

Banners are tall, decorative blocks in Minecraft that allow players to personalize bases, mark territory, and display achievements across the world. They can also be applied to shields, letting players carry their designs into battle.

While banners can occasionally be found in villages, chests, or structures, the easiest and most reliable way to get a banner is by crafting one. This guide covers everything you need to know—from crafting basics to customization, rare banner patterns, and banners that cannot be crafted.

Updated for modern Minecraft versions.

How to Craft a Banner in Minecraft

Step 1: Gather Wool

To craft a banner, you’ll need six blocks of wool of the same color.

• Wool is obtained from sheep

• Sheep can be found most commonly in grassland and plains biomes

• Wool can be dyed any color

💡 Tip:
If you’re just starting out, fence in a sheep so it doesn’t wander away. Use shears to harvest wool without killing it. After shearing, the sheep must eat grass before its wool regrows.

Having multiple sheep speeds up the process significantly.

Step 2: Gather Sticks

You’ll also need one stick.

Sticks are easy to obtain by:

• Breaking leaf blocks on trees

• Chopping down tree trunks (floating leaves decay and drop sticks, saplings, and apples)

This method is faster and safer in Survival Mode, as it avoids climbing and fall damage.

Step 3: Craft the Banner

Once you have:

• 6 wool blocks

• 1 stick

Use a Crafting Table.

Crafting Recipe:

• Place the six wool blocks in the top two rows

• Place the stick in the center of the bottom row

This creates one banner in the color of the wool used.

Customizing Banners

Banner Colors

The banner’s base color is determined by the wool color used during crafting.

Banner Patterns & Designs

Banners can have up to six patterns applied naturally (up to sixteen with commands).

• Java Edition: Patterns are created using a Loom

• Bedrock Edition: Patterns can be made using both the Loom and Crafting Table

How to Craft a Loom

To make a Loom, combine:

• 2 Strings

• 2 Wooden Planks

The Loom interface has three slots:

1. Banner
2. Dye
3. Optional Banner Pattern item

Banner Pattern Items

Some patterns require special items crafted with paper:

These pattern items can be combined with dyes to create unique designs.

Using Banners on Shields

Players can customize shields by combining:

• 1 Shield

• 1 Completed Banner

This applies the banner’s design to the shield, without consuming the banner.

Rare & Uncraftable Banners

Some banners cannot be crafted and must be found in the world.

Illager (Ominous) Banners

Illager Captains carry a unique Ominous Banner, identifiable by the banner on their back.

• Dropped when an Illager Captain is killed

• Found at Pillager Outposts

• Design cannot be recreated using a Loom

⚠️ Carrying this banner can trigger the Bad Omen effect.

Woodland Mansion Banners

Woodland Mansions are rare structures filled with Illagers—and banners.

Possible banners found include:

• Gray Banner

• Light Gray Banner

• Black Banner

• Ominous Banner

Some of these can be crafted manually, but finding them naturally adds to their collector value.

Magenta Banner (End Cities)

Deep in The End, players can discover End Cities containing a unique Magenta Banner.

• Found inside End City structures

• Features a distinct color scheme tied to End civilization

• One of the rarest naturally generated banners

Why Banners Matter

Banners aren’t just decorative—they’re a way to:

• Mark bases and outposts

• Leave your mark in abandoned biomes

• Display achievements and trophies

• Customize shields for PvP or roleplay

With endless design combinations, banners remain one of Minecraft’s best tools for personal expression.

Platforms

Minecraft is available on:

• PC

• Mobile

• PlayStation

• Xbox

• Nintendo Switch

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