HAMILTON, Ohio, July 28, 2008-U.S. premium papermaker SMART Papers has updated and expanded its nature-inspired Proterra writing, text and cover brand with five new colors. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified Proterra is the first of five brand updates and new swatchbooks planned for release this year.

SMART Papers, North America's largest independent manufacturer and marketer of premium coated and uncoated printing papers for digital and offset printing, maintains the most extensive selection of premium FSC-certified coated and uncoated printing paper brands, including Kromekote, Carnival, Genesis, Synergy, Pegasus, Solutions, Skytone, Feltweave, Nekoosa Linen and Proterra.

Proterra is one of the company's many environmentally focused printing paper brands.  The entire line contains sheets with 30% to 100% post-consumer waste (PCW) content and it is fully FSC certified.  SMART Papers also is currently building a new energy facility at its manufacturing center that will make all of the company's products fully carbon neutral and fossil fuel free by late 2009.

"Proterra is ideal for graphic professionals who want their projects to radiate a natural, sustainable look and feel-and be environmentally responsible," said Tom Kleimeyer, Director of Marketing for SMART Papers.  "It also has strong visual impact and delivers very high-quality print results."

The new Proterrra colors include the warm, fiber-added Barley, sky-blue Wisteria, and the rich Cypress, Sienna and Black.  Eight of the colors are made with 100% PCW.  The new swatchbook is available from your local paper merchant, by visiting the SMART Papers website at www.smartpapers.com, or calling 800-443-9773.

The swatchbook was designed by Douglas Joseph Partners of Beverly Hills, and printed by Dallas-based Williamson Printing using four-color process (200 line screen) with spot dull varnish and UV inks. 

The serene Italian countryside photography by Jimmy Williams of Raleigh, NC, effectively showcases the nature-inspired look and feel of the Proterra brand.  The photos are beautifully reproduced on Proterra Coastal White 100 Smooth, showcasing the brand's strong reproduction capabilities with four-color process printing.

Additional detail on the Proterra line

Proterra was among the first environmentally preferable papers offered to North American designers and printers.   Today, the FSC-brand with new colors and up to 100% PCW content has been optimized for offset and digital printing.

Proterra includes 17 fiber-enhanced, flecked and rich, saturated colors-from Coastal
White 100 with a 92-brightness and 100% PCW to Sienna and Black.  The entire color palette is available in Antique and Smooth finishes. 

Coastal White 100, Chalk and Oyster Smooth 24-lb. writing papers are laser and inkjet guaranteed.  All papers are acid free, archival, process chlorine free and elemental chlorine free as well as FSC certified and made from 30% to 100% PCW.