Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
How to Make and Design Banners in Minecraft
Craft a banner from six wool of one colour and a stick, then add patterns in a loom with dyes and, for some designs, a banner pattern item. A banner holds up to 6 pattern layers, can be put on a shield, and on Java can mark spots on a map.
How do you craft a banner?
Put six wool of the same colour and one stick in a crafting table, in a shape like a sign. That gives one of 16 colours of blank banner. Banners stand on the ground facing 16 directions or hang on a wall, sway in a breeze, and have no collision, so you can walk through them.
How do you add patterns to a banner?
Use a loom. Every pattern needs a dye, and some also need a banner pattern item, which is not used up. A banner can have up to 6 layers, each in any of the 16 colours, with the newest on top. To undo the top layer, use the banner on a cauldron with water. On Bedrock most patterns can also be crafted, though that costs more dye.
What can you do with a banner?
- Put it on a shield to show its design.
- On Java, use it on a placed banner while holding a map to add a marker; see maps and compasses.
- Illagers carrying an ominous banner always drop it; see raids.
Do banners burn?
No. Banners cannot burn, though lava next to one can light fire in the air beside it. Water and lava flow around them, and on Bedrock they can be waterlogged.
How do factions work on ArtemisPvP?
Frequently asked questions
How many patterns can a banner have?
Up to 6 layers in survival.
How do you remove a banner pattern?
Use the banner on a cauldron with water to wash off the top layer.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.