Brew a pot of coffee. You can use your home coffee brewer, or if you do not own one, boil some coffee grounds in water. If you have the time, you can also soak coffee grounds in water and let them sit for the night to make a cold brew. The more coffee grounds you use, the darker the paper will look.
Tear the edges of a piece of paper. You do not need to rip carefully. Inconsistencies will make the final product look more authentic.
Crumple the paper into a tight ball.
Flatten the paper and put it onto a baking sheet.
Pour the coffee over the paper, covering the entire piece.
Take out the paper.
Blow-dry the paper for five minutes, let it sit overnight or dry it in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for five to seven minutes.
Roll the paper into a tight ball if you want it to have a wrinkled appearance with its tears.
Unroll the paper.
Hold the paper in front of you and rip it toward you. Halfway through, change directions and finish the rip moving away from you. This will create an uneven look that will appear more natural.
Repeat the ripping pattern with the other three edges of the paper.