From what I read, European civilization did not know how to manufacture paper until Chinese prisoners were captured in the Battle of Talas in 751 were forced to divulge the secret to a Muslim army.
Prior to that, paper manufacture was a trade secret known only to some Chinese and Buddhist monasteries.
How would society have developed if paper manufacture was not possible in the Western world for a few hundred more years? I'm guessing ideas would take longer to disseminate, for one thing.