December 2024

Many typefaces claim versatility, yet sometimes what’s truly needed is a font that excels at a very specific task. Enter Refer, originally conceived for crossword puzzles, composed entirely of capital letters designed to fit into the tightest spaces. Created primarily for the Slovenian language, its diacritical marks demanded a thoughtful approach. Refer addresses this with two distinct solutions depending on vertical space: the upper portions of letters bearing top accents are drawn lighter to avoid excessive visual weight, while in tighter line spacing scenarios, accented small caps are offered, these maintain a total height that never exceeds the cap height, optimizing every millimeter of vertical space.

Refer initially came in two variants. The base Refer is a plain, straightforward family, clean and precise, ideal for clear digital or print use where simplicity and legibility are paramount. Its counterpart, Refer Print, is engineered for less-than-ideal printing conditions, such as newspapers printed on low quality paper. This subfamily incorporates ink traps, subtle recesses within letterforms designed to prevent ink spread and maintain sharpness in challenging print environments.

August 2025

Now, the collection welcomes a third member: Refer Press. This new subfamily captures the character of letterforms already printed on the page, introducing subtle ink flow irregularities and a soft, blurred effect that evokes the tactile, imperfect qualities of traditional press printing. Refer Press brings a warm, organic texture to the family, contrasting with the crispness of its siblings while remaining unmistakably part of the Refer lineage.

All three subfamilies are available both as static fonts and as variable fonts. Each subfamily is designed with a duplexed structure, ensuring that adjusting the weight does not affect the line length, providing consistent and flexible typography across all styles.

For those seeking a supremely legible, space-conscious all caps typeface that performs brilliantly across digital and print media, the Refer family stands as a refined and thoughtful solution, each subfamily tailored to meet specific typographic challenges with elegance and purpose.