To use the new service, customers must purchase carbon offsets relative to the weight of the paper they wish to buy. The paper merchant then sends the customer a certificate and licence enabling it to use the registered logo CarbonNeutral Certified Paper on the papers it has offset.

The paper merchant works with Ecometrica to calculate the carbon footprint associated with each of its paper brands from production to delivery.

Antalis McNaughton has also launched a paper café at its Belfast branch for sales representatives and designers.

The Paper Café aims to be a meeting point and an area where customers have the opportunity to view paper samples, printed samples and peruse the swatch resource.

It was born out of research conducted by the paper merchant which spoke to design and print customers to ask how it could add value to their business.

Antalis McNaughton branch director Keith Bennett said: "The Paper Café gives customers a contemporary workspace to use if they are meeting customers in the area or simply want to drop in to use our sample library service. The feedback from customers has been very positive."