Time for a change of scene

Daniel is working at high speed, extending the design into new unicode slots and exploring the potential of the grid he created long ago. We are talking about a variable icon super font. Be excited — it will be massive!

Before we talk about the future, let’s talk about what makes Netto such a great design.

Honouring what was

Starting with the idea to design a no-frills typeface, Daniel developed a font free from historical ballast. By reducing the letterforms to their basic shapes, he carved out the design’s geometric construction. Carefully adjusting the stroke just enough to optimize for legibility, he created a clear, concise and still characterful design. His approach was recognized with a Certificate of Excellence at the ISTD Awards in 2009.

In addition to the letterforms, he added a core set of icons and arrows. By respecting the font height and strokes of the letters in the pictograms, Netto is ideal for information and wayfinding systems. With useful border components, a designer's ideas have no limits in their application.

At FontShop and then Monotype, FF Netto was expanded to cover extreme weights, Thin and Black, and matching italics were drawn for the whole spectrum. Thanks to such care and development, the font family has established itself as a useful tool for graphic designers over the last few years. Now, however, Daniel’s expanding Netto in its new home: TypeMates.

Celebrating what is next

In addition to Netto’s beloved features, large language support, clear and established design, well-balanced and concise letterforms, updated font files with new features are planned for the re-release.

Pictograms have endless uses. With its extensive suite of icons, the new Netto will cover a vast number of areas and applications. Interface and information design, wayfinding, transport, food, animals and plants, to name a few. If that’s not enough, each pictogram is produced and tested in a variable font format. The result is a real fest for designers that love clear systems and a treat for those designers who like get out a ruler and make sure each distance and stroke thickness is exactly as it should be.

Further, Netto’s border elements and all the icons have been fine-tuned to balance the letters and make sure that each weight can bring a perfect, even greyscale to the table. Application in any media is possible and the pictograms are TypeMate Guaranteed to look amazing in text — perfect for UI design.

So, stay tuned and get ready to welcome Netto and Daniel to Typemates in April 2023.

*FF, FontShop, FontFont are a trademark of Monotype GmbH