Behind the type — Custom Fonts

Distressed type signals authenticity, defiance and human effort — but it also sorts your audience and costs you legibility. A guide to when rough letterforms earn trust, when they read as costume, and how to use them without wrecking readability.

Learn what to include in a custom font brief, with a practical checklist for creative directors covering brand context, technical needs, rights and delivery.

Understand the custom font design timeline, what affects the schedule and how to keep a bespoke typeface project moving without cutting corners.

A practical guide to commissioning a custom typeface, from the first brief and creative direction to testing, licensing and delivery.

Compare custom fonts, modified fonts and retail fonts to find the right balance of originality, cost, speed and ownership for your brand.

For years, commissioning a custom typeface was something mostly associated with very big brands and very big budgets. That is changing. Today, more businesses are realising that custom typeface isn’t just about making letters look nicer. It’s about giving a brand a voice that feels like its own. It can give a brand a recognisable voice, simplify licensing, improve consistency and solve very practical problems across websites, apps, packaging and advertising. So when does it make sense to commission a custom font rather than buy one off the shelf? A logo might appear once on a page, but type can appear...

See how custom font design creates distinctive packaging, advertising and entertainment typography that stays recognisable across every format.

Learn which custom font files you need, including OTF, TTF, WOFF and WOFF2, plus what to agree about source files and delivery.

See how handmade lettering created with paint, ink and paper becomes a practical custom font for branding, packaging and campaigns.

Discover the benefits of custom typefaces for brand recognition, consistency, ownership, flexibility and a more distinctive visual identity.