I literally mean it, not in the “making money” sense.
By Alex Perry on March 24, 2026
The key to success in Pokémon Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 is getting help from friends. For example, obtaining paper—not in the monetary sense but as an inventory item—is necessary for completing requests or construction projects. Though it can be acquired by progressing through Pokopia’s story, like many things in this charming Pokémon life sim, it’s not as simple as it sounds.
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How to get paper in Pokémon Pokopia
Those familiar with Pokopia likely know that certain materials are created by giving a Pokémon with a specific skill an ingredient to transmute. For instance, Scyther can turn wood into lumber. Similarly, paper results from such a process.
Specifically, you’ll need to befriend a Pokémon with the “Recycle” ability. Options include Porygon and Beldum, but Trubbish, found early in the game’s Bleak Beach area, is probably the easiest to obtain. Trubbish’s habitat includes a Sign, a Waste Bin, and Garbage Bags, all found in Bleak Beach. Alternatively, Metang, later in the story, also has Recycle.
Upon acquiring a Trubbish, you must find Wastepaper, which isn’t very useful alone but can be transformed into Paper using the Recycle ability. This part can be tedious if you’re relying on Trubbish at Bleak Beach, as Wastepaper is more common in the Sparkling Skylands area later in the game. However, Nintendo Life suggests using a Dragonite Doll to travel to a dream island abundant in Wastepaper, possibly accessible before Sparkling Skylands is unlocked.
Hopefully, this guide gives you a basic understanding of obtaining Paper in Pokémon Pokopia. What you do with it afterward is entirely up to you.
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable focusing on video games and consumer tech. With a decade spent reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, Alex is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Connect with him on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.