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The Typeface That Launched Schrifteria Foundry
Why the First Typeface Had to Be a Sans Serif?
How Stockholm Shaped SFT Schrifted Sans
Making the Font Functional for Everyone
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typography

SFT Schrifted Sans:
The Story of a Font Born in Stockholm

Discover how the streets of Stockholm, a passion for functional design, and the unique challenges of creating a type foundry’s debut typeface came together to shape SFT Schrifted Sans.

BY YULIA GONINA

January 12, 2023 ∙ 5 min. read

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The Typeface That Launched Schrifteria Foundry

For four years, I was a part of a major font studio called TypeType. It was an invaluable experience, especially in terms of constant communication with clients, which gave me deep insights into how fonts are used by specific people in specific situations.

Over time, I realized that I had accumulated ideas and visions for my own type foundry. Equally significant was the growing confidence in my ability to take independent steps in this business. You could say it was a “Type” of destiny. ;)

Starting a type foundry is like embarking on a journey with the first font, and everything depends on that initial step. Naturally, you want to create a typeface that will bring in good income, giving you the freedom to pursue more experimental projects later on. However, this places certain constraints on the first font.

I envisioned the debut typeface as something incredibly functional. It needed to perform well in small text and have enough character to stand out in eye-catching headlines. Naturally, it had to include a wide character set with support for multiple languages, symbols, alternate characters, and more.

Yet, all the market research and customer surveys I participated in over the years highlighted that visual appeal is what matters most. Unfortunately, this is the most abstract indicator of success among all the possible criteria.

I also set one more condition — this typeface had to become the foundry’s brand typeface. In other words, the first user would be me. It’s an important experience that not all type designers get — to identify the font’s flaws by using it yourself.

SFT Schrifted Sans used in Schrifteria’s logo.

Why the First Typeface Had to Be a Sans Serif?

When it came to creating the first font for the type foundry, I was certain it had to be a sans serif. Based on my experience working with clients and observing the market, it’s clear that grotesques remain the most popular. So, it made perfect sense to design a font in this category if I wanted a strong chance of it selling well.

We’ve all grown accustomed to the reliability of these fonts. They can be used in virtually any context, whether it’s print, web, or even low-resolution ATMs. While modern serifs can be just as functional, it takes some time to reacquaint ourselves with them. However, I’m optimistic that this will soon change, and we’ll start to see more serifs among the bestsellers.

How Stockholm Shaped SFT Schrifted Sans

With all these ideas swirling in my mind, I found myself in Stockholm, where I spent three months in 2022. It’s the stylish and functional design capital of the world, and after two years confined to St. Petersburg due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the city’s distinct character struck me deeply. As I absorbed its design and architecture, everything suddenly clicked—this was the inspiration I needed for my first typeface.

One of the most striking aspects of Stockholm was its architecture. It’s simple, geometric, and functional, yet stylish at the same time. A touch of humanity is added through the use of color or wooden cladding, but overall, the architecture feels cold, austere, and distinctly Nordic.

Modern architecture of Stockholm. An inspiration for SFT Schrifted Sans

These images reflect the spirit of Stockholm, the city that inspired SFT Schrifted Sans: sleek, geometric, functional, and effortlessly stylish.

Occasionally, this strict environment is softened by playful or even extravagant details though.

Playful and provocative details that are scattered throughout Stockholm.

The typographic landscape seamlessly continues this architectural theme.

In my mind, Stockholm began to transform into a typeface. I imagined it as a concise geometric grotesque with a slightly softened character. It has a one-story ’a,’ a slightly raised waist on the ’R,’ and a bold, massive diacritical mark. Most importantly, I felt a sense of cleanliness, simplicity, and a harmonious blend of typography and design throughout the city.

Stockholm’s typographic landscape is dominated by modern geometric grotesques with a touch of human warmth.

The font used by H&M is a perfect example — instantly recognizable as part of a true Swedish brand.

Yet, even here, humor and irony find their place.

Witty details can be found all around Stockholm.

All these impressions and observations eventually led to my first sketches of what would become SFT Schrifted Sans. This typeface, like the Scandinavian soul, is a closed geometric grotesque with a slightly softened character. It features clean, straightforward forms.

The clean, stylish, and geometric forms of the main set in SFT Schrifted Sans.

But if you dig deeper, you’ll find human and even playful elements.

The experimental curvy headline set of SFT Schrifted Sans.

Making the Font Functional for Everyone

I wanted to create a typeface that could meet a wide range of needs, so I had ambitious plans for it. Naturally, the font should offer a variety of weights, but that’s just the beginning.

The core design of SFT Schrifted Sans is a geometric grotesque with generous proportions, but there’s also a slightly more compact version for everyday use within the font family.

The Compact subfamily of SFT Schrifted Sans.

In addition to making sure the typeface reads well in text, I wanted it to be expressive enough for headlines. The core design already looks great at larger sizes due to its clean and well-thought-out graphics, but I decided to add a bit of flair by introducing an additional playful stylistic set.

Showcasing the Default and Headline sets of SFT Schrifted Sans.

Its clarity and precision make SFT Schrifted Sans ideal for corporate branding, where a professional and modern look is essential. The slightly softened character ensures it remains approachable, making it suitable for editorial design, from magazine layouts to book covers. The expressive stylistic set adds an extra layer of personality, perfect for creative industries like fashion or lifestyle brands that need a distinctive yet functional typeface. Whether it’s in a tech startup’s website, a chic fashion label, or public signage, SFT Schrifted Sans delivers both readability and impact.

Thank you for reading to the end!

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Apply it at checkout to get a 20% discount on SFT Schrifted Sans.

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