Part 1. Introducing the Foundry
Q. Could you share a bit about your foundry and its journey?
TypeType Studio was founded in 2013 by designer Ivan Gladkikh (current CTO) and Alexander Kudryavtsev (current CEO). What started as a small team of just four employees has grown into an international company. As of May 2024, we have over 60 team members from various countries working on our projects. Our portfolio includes more than 75 different typefaces with 1,480+ styles, serving 35,000+ clients from over 110 countries. Our fonts are used by major companies worldwide.
Q.What are some significant milestones and achievements?
In 2014, we released our first typeface family, which kickstarted our rapid growth and expansion. A major breakthrough came in 2017 with the release of TT Norms, which became our first bestseller. Recently, in 2024, we achieved one of our proudest moments when TypeType was awarded the Red Dot: Best of the Best distinction.
Q. Do you have a story behind the name of the foundry?
The story of our name is actually quite interesting—it came to Ivan Gladkikh in a dream. During the launch phase in 2013, we were actively brainstorming different names for the studio, and after much discussion and consideration, the name "TypeType" came to Ivan in his sleep. It stuck, and that's how our studio got its name.
Q. What keywords best capture the essence of your foundry, and why?
First and foremost is passion—specifically, passion for our craft. We deeply love the product we create and carefully nurture every aspect of it.
Quality comes second. We consistently strive to create market-leading products, ensuring our fonts surpass similar offerings both in visual appeal and technical excellence.
Innovation is our third key element. In certain projects, we give ourselves the freedom to experiment and aim to set trends rather than follow them, positioning ourselves as industry leaders in this regard.
Finally, dedication. Hard work is deeply embedded in our company's DNA—it's not just what we do, it's who we are.
Q. Who would you recommend your fonts to?
Our font collection is incredibly diverse, catering to a wide range of needs. We offer versatile, universal typefaces that work seamlessly across all applications, as well as specialized fonts that particularly excel in specific industries—from culinary arts and fashion to sports, science, technology, and gaming.
We're confident in saying that our portfolio has something for everyone. Whether you're working on branding, digital products, publications, or any other creative project, you'll find a TypeType font that perfectly matches your vision.
Part 2. Showcasing Your Signature Fonts
Q. What are the 2-3 flagship font families from your collection?
Our bestsellers are TT Norms® Pro, TT Commons™ Pro, and TT Hoves Pro. These are highly versatile and functional workhorses in our collection—true all-rounders that excel across any industry or application. Their universal adaptability makes them reliable choices for virtually any design challenge.
Q. What inspired the creation of these representative fonts?
Unlike what some might expect, our flagship fonts weren't born from sudden inspiration—they emerged through rigorous technical and creative processes within our studio. This was certainly true for TT Norms® Pro, TT Commons™ Pro, and TT Hoves Pro. While these typefaces started as regular projects in our pipeline, they organically grew into something special once released to the market. For instance, TT Norms® Pro has achieved remarkable success, ranking among the top 50 bestselling fonts globally.
When we realized these fonts had resonated so deeply with our users, we committed to their continuous evolution. We now update our bestselling fonts twice a year—expanding their character sets, refining details, enhancing technical aspects, and adding new functionality. Our true inspiration comes from seeing how our dedicated work transforms these fonts into gems of typography.
Q. Could you explain the meaning behind their names?
We follow a consistent naming philosophy across our font collection. Our typefaces typically have meaningful names, and most of them end with 's'—a tradition we try to maintain, though there are some exceptions.
- 「TT Norms® Pro」: This name reflects its fundamental nature—it's "normal" or "standard." Think of it as your design base camp from which you can scale greater creative heights.
- 「TT Commons™ Pro」: As its name suggests, is "common" or universal—a neutral typeface that adapts seamlessly to any project or purpose. It's the kind of font that won't overshadow your design but rather support it from every angle.
- 「TT Hoves Pro」: The name is derived from combining the first syllables of "horizontals" and "verticals." This naming reflects the font's geometric nature, with its distinctive emphasis on horizontal and vertical elements.
Q. Can you name some notable brands or projects that have used your fonts?
Our fonts have been adopted by numerous prominent companies worldwide, such as Asus, DreamWorks, Uniqlo.
A particularly interesting case study involves our customization of TT Hoves for Telefonica, the Spanish telecommunications giant. We modified all dots from square to round shapes at the brand's request. While this might seem like a subtle change, it significantly enhanced the font's harmony with the company's identity, which is built around circular forms.
One of our most unique implementations was the use of TT Commons in "What you will hear is true"—an artistic installation by Emiel Efdée for Poetry International 2021. The project featured giant letters "traveling" across Rotterdam's rooftops, encouraging citizens to listen more carefully to each other and challenge their assumptions about what they read.
DreamWorks - 「TT Norms Pro」
Doordash - 「TT Norms Pro」
Uniqlo - 「TT Commons Pro」
Q. Do you have other font families you'd like to introduce?
- 「TT Firs Neue」: A Scandinavian sans-serif that brilliantly balances expressive graphic elements with universal usability.
- 「TT Neoris」: A concise neo-grotesque with unlimited potential. This is our studio's most ambitious project to date, developed based on comprehensive market research of sans-serif fonts and user preferences.
- 「TT Ramillas」: A transitional serif typeface that's been expertly adapted to meet contemporary needs and requirements.
Part 3. A Message to SandollCloud Users
Q. What future plans or developments do you have for your retail fonts?
Our annual font development plan rests on three key pillars. First, we maintain and enhance our existing bestsellers—a crucial part of our work that demands significant time and resources. Second, we create new typefaces. For 2025, we're excited to announce the upcoming release of a high-contrast sans, an Old Style serif, and a new geometric sans-serif.
The third pillar focuses on experimental projects. In 2024, we released four purely experimental, non-commercially oriented projects: TT Paplane, TT Modernoir, TT Biersal, and TT Gertika. These help us gauge market conditions and observe how users respond to display typefaces. We're constantly working to maintain a balance between these three directions, driven by our desire to innovate while not limiting ourselves to commercially-oriented sans-serifs, despite their popularity among users.
Q. Could you leave a message for SandollCloud users?
We're thrilled to join the Sandoll platform as it opens up an entirely new direction and market for us. We hope users will appreciate our typefaces and discover something fresh in our vision of how modern fonts should look and function in today's world. We're looking forward to building great relationships with you and hope you'll enjoy working with our fonts!