Date
Words
Poppy ThaxterHow do free fonts impact foundries? ITF, Monotype and CoType on what designers should keep in mind
Following our previous discussion with ITF, Monotype and CoType, we return to the topic of free fonts to quench our curiosity a bit further. In part one, we learnt of the complexities that surround the topic of free fonts and questioned when might be the right time to use a free font in a project. Now, we look at the key factors to consider when working with free fonts, and ask our three experts – Satya Rajpurohit, Co-founder of Indian Type Foundry (ITF) and Founder of Fontshare; Tom Foley, Executive Creative Director at Monotype; and Mark Bloom, Creative Director and Founder of CoType Foundry – about the impact they have on foundries. Drawing from their extensive experience in the type design industry – experience that spans both retail and custom, bespoke projects – what insights can they offer? What do they identify as the potential pitfalls or considerations that designers should keep a vigilant eye on when working with free fonts in their projects?
First off, if you are intent on using a free font, take caution with free font distribution sites that share fonts which do not belong to them. The proliferation of these sites offering ‘free’ fonts for download has seen a significant surge. However, it’s critical to note that these fonts may not be as ‘free’ as they appear. According to Foley, they may make fonts free to download “but potentially illegal to use,” often involving pirated intellectual property or restrictive End-User License Agreement (EULA) terms. Apart from the harm they cause to the industry, these sites also create a risk for the users. Designers who download and use these fonts may unknowingly violate legal terms, leading to compliance issues and possible legal ramifications. “We should tread with caution, it’s a minefield out there,” advises Foley.
Bloom cites questionable reliability and ethical and copyright concerns when (whether mistakenly or not) a user picks a free copycat font. “There are some free fonts that purposely imitate popular commercial fonts and other typefaces that have illegally been hacked or ripped from foundry PDFs and other places, which is a definite case of copyright infringement. When working with larger clients, using such fonts might have legal implications.”
“Numerous copycat or amateur typefaces are accessible for free, and in the absence of a reputable foundry backing them, assessing their quality is challenging,” he adds. “You could compare this with purchasing a wooden shelf from a high-end furniture store or from IKEA, or, even worse, getting it made for free by your neighbour Johnny, who owns a saw and bought some wooden planks at the hardware store.”
While evaluating the quality of a free font can be difficult, is a free typeface always synonymous with poor quality? Although some free typefaces may be less refined due to resource constraints or lack of expertise, a significant number of free fonts are the works of professionals. Contrary to the belief that free fonts are lower quality, Rajpurohit asserts that font quality relies entirely on its designers. Fontshare’s fonts, for example, are created by skilled designers who also produce their paid fonts. “Quality is a subjective measure,” Foley adds. “For me, it’s more about which qualities of a typeface are most important for a use case – originality of expression, legibility, technical quality etc. What’s important is how a typeface feels and works in context, and if it meets the needs of its use case.” When considering all elements that constitute a high-quality typeface – originality, design craft, technical standards, language support, clear licensing, and quality support – he believes that free fonts usually have a mid-level standard; this might be especially true for free fonts that are not made or backed by a foundry.
While open-source fonts have their advantages, one of the central downsides is the general lack of technical and design support. “If you discover a technical issue, or a missing character, there is no dedicated support available,” says Foley. “This can create chaos for even a small company or brand.”
And so, it’s not always advisable to reach for a free typeface. A big-name international brand, for example, requires more than just a font. Foley emphasises that they need distinctive, ownable, and technically excellent typography that helps in brand recognition and consistency, as well as 24/7 technical support, and an enduring partnership with a font foundry – attributes that most free and open-source font services cannot provide.
And now, we come to a common question that arises in the typeface design industry about whether the availability of free fonts online threatens the financial sustainability and livelihoods of commercial foundries. We were relieved to find a unanimous consensus among the three type experts we spoke with – each responding emphatically with a clear, resounding “NO.”
“This was, indeed, one of our biggest fears when we decided to offer some of our premium fonts for free,” Rajpurohit admits. “Hence, we chose to launch these fonts via a completely separate service.” Free fonts aren’t available on the ITF site, nor are paid fonts available on Fontshare. “Had we offered these free fonts on the ITF website, where we also list our premium fonts, it might have affected our sales.” Having two distinct platforms means that Rajpurohit can cater for two different audiences with differing purposes. “Since the inception of Fontshare two years ago, we haven’t observed any decline in our revenue. In fact, Fontshare has given us increased visibility for our premium fonts.”
According to Bloom, most of CoType’s clients “understand the advantages of purchasing a typeface from a type foundry,” aided by the allure of a paid typeface’s exclusivity. “Google’s widely-used typeface Open Sans has been employed on hundreds of millions of websites since its 2011 release. In contrast, our top-selling typeface Aeonik has garnered thousands of downloads,” he notes. “When I refer to the ‘uniqueness’ of a typeface, this is the specific comparison I am making.”
Foley asserts that the existence of free fonts has not financially impacted Monotype. Rather, at the foundry, the price of any product is influenced by the cost of production and its perceived value to the customer. “So, it’s more likely that pricing models have been influenced by things like improvements in the tools that are used to make typefaces, by the growth of e-commerce and higher web performance standards and by an increasingly competitive brand landscape.” The need for high-quality, original typefaces and advanced font technology has grown, too. “There are more foundries and typefaces than ever before, which is a response to a greater understanding and appreciation for superior quality fonts as a crucial aspect of brand identity and brand systems. Typography has unparalleled value for brands.” This demand and appreciation for superior fonts have allowed the industry to thrive, despite the availability of free fonts.
You could also argue that the availability of free fonts has, in fact, encouraged greater scrutiny by potential customers. “I see a correlation between the establishment of Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts with independent type foundries providing customers with easy access to trial fonts,” Foley tells us. “By giving access to trial fonts, type foundries make it easy for designers to see and feel the difference in quality when compared to open-source and free fonts. It also mitigates the risk that a designer will source their font from a pirate site.” These responses to open-source and free font sites have, in turn, bolstered foundries’ connections with their audiences, empowering users to experience high-quality typefaces during their concept and prototyping phases. So, instead of chipping away at their business, these strategic moves drive increased sales for foundries, leading to a win-win situation for all.
| Contributors | |
| Share |