Pangea

Can a typeface make the world a better place? Well, it can try to.

Designed by Christoph Koeberlin. 25% of all designer royalties will be donated to preserving the rainforest and to implementing large-scale reforestation projects.

No more prizes for predicting rain. Prizes only for building arks.

Story

How can a typeface improve the world? Even before he had drawn the first letter, Christoph Koeberlin wanted to answer this question. He wanted to prove that designers can positively influence the environment.

One way that he is doing this is by donating 25% of his income from Pangea to the preservation of the rainforest and to large-scale reforestation projects involving the local population (Trees for the Future, The Green Belt Movement, Fairventures Worldwide). With every font license you purchase, you are helping to preserve one of the most important factors in slowing down climate change. It’s just a bit of a shame that the name Futura had already been taken by another geometric sans serif typeface, as it would have been more appropriate here.

For Christoph, the connection and connotation of the name was of great importance. Just like the primeval continent that the typeface is named after, Pangea is a symbol of not only the big (common) picture but of global cooperation. While Gergő Kókai from Hungary supported him in the design of the upright characters, he brought Tanya George from India and the Japan-based Gabriel Richter on board to work on the italics. He consulted with Irene Vlachou from Greece, Ilya Ruderman from Russia, Donny Truong from the USA and Paul Hanslow from Australia to ensure the quality of the Greek, Cyrillic, Vietnamese and African Latin characters. The spacing and the kerning of the font would not have been possible without Igino Marini from Italy and his superior iKern technology.

Broad foreign language support is almost obligatory with such an omnicultural approach. From the beginning, European Latin, Cyrillic, Greek and Vietnamese language support have been included in Pangea as standard. The first language extension was Pangea Afrikan which supports all Latin-based African languages and some indigenous languages of North America and it was released a corresponding (subset) for free in the Standard License towards the end of 2021!

Thanks to the Lebanese Type Designer Azza Alameddine, who lives in Spain, and the Israeli designers, Yanek Iontef and Daniel Grumer, Arabic and Hebrew followed just one year later. All existing users can download the expanded fonts free of charge from their Fontwerk account. The price remains the same. But that’s not all: more support for other languages will follow soon.

It’s important to mention that the typeface works remarkably well due to its refined space saving – it is more condensed than a normal geometric sans. Indeed, this could even be sold as a further environmentally friendly and eco-conscious feature as it not only saves paper but screen capacity, but maybe that would be too much of a good thing. This characteristic is actually the result of the smart design decisions that Christoph Koeberlin made during the five years he spent working on Pangea. Another outstanding trait is the consequence between the compactness and closeness, while diagonal terminals and round dots make for a friendly appearance. He successfully manages the balancing act between narrow grotesque typefaces and geometric ones. This approach is also demonstrated in the rather large x-height as well as the barely open forms, but also in the unusual ‘spectacle-g’, double-story a and l with foot. The more common single-story ‘g’ and ‘a’ as well as the straight ‘l’ are, of course, accessible as OpenType alternatives.

The second member of the family, Pangea Text, is built upon the same foundations but aims to improve legibility. With longer ascenders and descenders, more open forms, slight ink traps and more generous spacing, this variant is great for use in extensive texts and is particularly good for use in small sizes as well as on screens. Not only do both families complement and harmonize with each other, but the decision to work with optical sizes is what makes the core family’s uncompromising nature and attractive appearance possible in the first place.

Christoph Koeberlin is not only a designer of highly original typefaces (he also co-designed FF Mark and created Fabrikat), he is also one of the world’s most sought after Font Engineers. As you would expect from such an expert, the entire superfamily comes with a variable font version. This version allows a smooth and infinite adjustment; of font weights from Light to Bold, of ascenders and descenders, of the characters’ openness, of spacing, of the angle of the slope and of ink traps as well as the seamless switching between alternates. Nine axes raise the bar in this area. As with all other Fontwerk fonts, the Pangea variable versions are included in the super family package at no additional cost and can be tested free of charge as subsetted Trial Fonts.

Saving the world through one typeface at a time — it’s worth a try.

Further Information

Want to find out about Christoph Koeberlin’s thoughts behind Pangea? Head to his website.

Pangea fictitious use-case
A
#65

Glyphs

Uppercase

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Lowercase

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
w
x
y
z

Latin Accents

Á
Ă
Ǎ
Â
Ä
À
Ā
Ą
Å
Ã
Æ
Ǣ
Ć
Č
Ç
Ĉ
Ċ
DŽ
Ð
Ď
Đ
Dž
É
Ĕ
Ě
Ê
Ë
Ė
È
Ē
Ę
Ğ
Ǧ
Ĝ
Ģ
Ġ
Ħ
Ĥ
Í
Ĭ
Ǐ
Î
Ï
İ
Ì
Ī
Į
Ĩ
Ĵ
Ķ
LJ
Ĺ
Ľ
Ļ
Ŀ
Lj
Ł
NJ
Ń
Ň
Ņ
Ŋ
Nj
Ñ
Ó
Ŏ
Ǒ
Ô
Ö
Ò
Ơ
Ő
Ō
Ø
Õ
Œ
Þ
Ŕ
Ř
Ŗ
Ś
Š
Ş
Ŝ
Ș
Ə
Ŧ
Ť
Ţ
Ț
Ú
Ŭ
Ǔ
Û
Ü
Ǘ
Ǚ
Ǜ
Ǖ
Ù
Ư
Ű
Ū
Ų
Ů
Ũ
Ŵ
Ý
Ŷ
Ÿ
Ȳ
Ź
Ž
Ż
á
ă
ǎ
â
ä
à
ā
ą
å
ã
æ
ǣ
ć
č
ç
ĉ
ċ
dž
ð
ď
đ
é
ĕ
ě
ê
ế
ë
ė
è
ē
ę
ğ
ǧ
ĝ
ģ
ġ
ħ
ĥ
í
ĭ
ǐ
î
ï
̇
ì
ī
į
ĩ
ĵ
ķ
lj
ĺ
ľ
ļ
ŀ
ł
nj
ń
ň
ņ
ŋ
ñ
ó
ŏ
ǒ
ô
ö
ò
ơ
ő
ō
ø
õ
œ
þ
ŕ
ř
ŗ
ś
š
ş
ŝ
ș
ß
ə
ŧ
ť
ţ
ț
ú
ŭ
ǔ
û
ü
ǘ
ǚ
ǜ
ǖ
ù
ư
ű
ū
ų
ů
ũ
ŵ
ý
ŷ
ÿ
ȳ
ź
ž
ż

Numerals & Currency Symbols

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
¤
$
¢
£
¥
฿
ƒ
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Punctuation

.
,
;
!
¡
?
¿
&
@
·
*
#
/
|
\
(
)
{
}
[
]
-
­
_
«
»
"
'

Mathematical Signs & Symbols

+
×
÷
=
>
<
±
~
¬
^
µ
%

Arrows & Shapes

Ligatures

ff
fft
ft
tt

Greek

Α
Β
Γ
Ε
Ζ
Η
Θ
Ι
Κ
Λ
Μ
Ν
Ξ
Ο
Π
Ρ
Σ
Τ
Υ
Φ
Χ
Ψ
Ά
Έ
Ή
Ί
Ό
Ύ
Ώ
Ϊ
Ϋ
α
β
γ
δ
ε
ζ
η
θ
ι
κ
λ
ν
ξ
ο
π
ρ
σ
τ
υ
φ
χ
ψ
ω
ί
ϊ
ΐ
ύ
ϋ
ΰ
ό
ώ
ά
έ
ή
·
΄
΅

Cyrillic

А
Б
В
Г
Ѓ
Ґ
Д
Е
Ѐ
Ё
Ж
З
И
Й
Ѝ
К
Ќ
Л
М
Н
О
П
Р
С
Т
У
Ў
Ф
Х
Ч
Ц
Ш
Щ
Џ
Ь
Ъ
Ы
Љ
Њ
Ѕ
Є
Э
І
Ї
Ј
Ћ
Ю
Я
Ђ
Ѣ
Ѳ
Ѵ
Ғ
Җ
Ҙ
Қ
Ҝ
Ҡ
Ң
Ҥ
Ҫ
Ү
Ұ
Ҳ
Ҷ
Ҹ
Һ
Ӏ
Ӂ
Ӑ
Ӕ
Ӗ
Ә
Ӣ
Ӧ
Ө
Ӯ
Ӳ
а
б
в
г
ѓ
ґ
д
е
ѐ
ё
ж
з
и
й
ѝ
к
ќ
л
м
н
о
п
р
с
т
у
ў
ф
х
ч
ц
ш
щ
џ
ь
ъ
ы
љ
њ
ѕ
є
э
і
ї
ј
ћ
ю
я
ђ
ѣ
ѳ
ѵ
ғ
җ
ҙ
қ
ҝ
ҡ
ң
ҥ
ҫ
ү
ұ
ҳ
ҷ
ҹ
һ
ӏ
ӂ
ӑ
ӕ
ӗ
ә
ӣ
ӧ
ө
ӯ
ӳ

Languages

Afrikaans
Albanian
Asu
Basque
Bemba
Bena
Breton
Catalan
Cornish
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
Embu
English
Esperanto
Estonian
Faroese
Filipino
Finnish
French
Friulian
Galician
Ganda
German
Gusii
Hungarian
Icelandic
Inari Sami
Indonesian
Irish
Italian
Jola-Fonyi
Kabuverdianu
Kalenjin
Kamba
Kikuyu
Kinyarwanda
Latvian
Lithuanian
Lower Sorbian
Luo
Luxembourgish
Luyia
Machame
Makhuwa-Meetto
Makonde
Malagasy
Maltese
Manx
Meru
Morisyen
North Ndebele
Northern Sami
Norwegian Bokmål
Norwegian Nynorsk
Nyankole
Oromo
Polish
Portuguese
Quechua
Romanian
Romansh
Rombo
Rundi
Rwa
Samburu
Sango
Sangu
Sanskrit
Sena
Serbian
Shambala
Shona
Slovak
Slovenian
Soga
Somali
Spanish
Swahili
Swedish
Swiss German
Taita
Teso
Turkish
Upper Sorbian
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Volapük
Vunjo
Walser
Welsh
Greek
Abaza
Abkhaz
Adyghe
Aghul
Altai
Avar
Azerbaijani
Bashkir
Belarusian
Bosnian
Bulgarian
Buryat
Chechen
Chukchi
Chuvash
Crimean Tatar
Dargwa
Dungan
Erzya
Even
Evenki
Gagauz
Hill Mari
Ingush
Kabardian
Kalmyk Oirat
Karachay-Balkar
Karakalpak
Kazakh
Khakas
Khanty
Khinalugh
Komi
Koryak
Kumyk
Kyrgyz
Lak
Lezgian
Macedonian
Mansi
Meadow Mari
Moksha
Moldovan
Mongolian
Montenegrin
Nanai
Nenets
Nivkh
Nogai
Ossetic
Permyak
Russian
Rusyn
Rutul
Selkup
Serbian
Tabasaran
Tajik
Talysh
Tat
Tatar
Turkmen
Tuvan
Udmurt
Ukrainian
Uyghur
Uzbek
Yakut
Yupʼik
Abron
Acheron
Achinese
Achuar-Shiwiar
Adamawa Fulfulde
Adangme
Afar
Afrikaans
Aghem
Aguaruna
Aja (Benin)
Amahuaca
Amarakaeri
Amis
Andaandi
Anii
Anuta
Ao Naga
Apinayé
Arabela
Aragonese
Arbëreshë Albanian
Asháninka
Ashéninka Perené
Asturian
Asu (Tanzania)
Atayal
Awa-Cuaiquer
Awetí
Baatonum
Bafia
Bagirmi Fulfulde
Balinese
Bambara
Baoulé
Bari
Basa (Cameroon)
Basque
Batak Dairi
Batak Karo
Batak Mandailing
Batak Simalungun
Batak Toba
Bemba (Zambia)
Bena (Tanzania)
Biali
Bikol
Bini
Bislama
Boko (Benin)
Bora
Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
Borgu Fulfulde
Bouna Kulango
Breton
Bushi
Candoshi-Shapra
Caquinte
Caribbean Hindustani
Cashibo-Cacataibo
Cashinahua
Cebuano
Central Alaskan Yupik
Central Atlas Tamazight
Central Aymara
Central Mazahua
Central-Eastern Niger Fulfulde
Chachi
Chavacano
Chayahuita
Chickasaw
Chiga
Chiltepec Chinantec
Chokwe
Chuukese
Cofán
Congo Swahili
Cook Islands Māori
Cornish
Corsican
Creek
Dagbani
Dehu
Dendi (Benin)
Dinka
Ditammari
Dongolawi
Duala
Dyula
Eastern Abnaki
Eastern Arrernte
Eastern Maninkakan
Eastern Oromo
Embu
Ese Ejja
Ewe
Ewondo
Falam Chin
Fanti
Fijian
Filipino
Fon
Foodo
Friulian
Ga
Galician
Ganda
Garifuna
Ga’anda
Gen
Gheg Albanian
Gilbertese
Gonja
Guadeloupean Creole French
Guinea Kpelle
Gusii
Gwichʼin
Haitian
Hakha Chin
Hani
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hiligaynon
Hopi
Huastec
Hän
Ibibio
Igbo
Iloko
Indonesian
Ixcatlán Mazatec
Jamaican Creole English
Japanese
Javanese
Jola-Fonyi
Kabiyè
Kabuverdianu
Kabyle
Kaingang
Kako
Kalaallisut
Kalenjin
Kamba (Kenya)
Kanuri
Kaonde
Kaqchikel
Karelian
Kasem
Kekchí
Kenzi
Khasi
Khoekhoe
Kikuyu
Kimbundu
Kinyarwanda
Kituba (DRC)
Kongo
Konzo
Koyra Chiini Songhay
Koyraboro Senni Songhai
Krio
Kuanyama
Kwasio
K’iche’
Ladino
Lakota
Lamnso’
Langi
Latin
Ligurian
Lingala
Lobi
Lombard
Lozi
Luba-Katanga
Luba-Lulua
Lukpa
Luo (Kenya and Tanzania)
Maasina Fulfulde
Madurese
Makhuwa
Makhuwa-Meetto
Makonde
Makwe
Malagasy
Malaysian
Mam
Manx
Maore Comorian
Maori
Mapudungun
Marshallese
Masai
Matsés
Mattokki
Mauritian Creole
Mbelime
Mende (Sierra Leone)
Meriam Mir
Meru
Meta’
Metlatónoc Mixtec
Mezquital Otomi
Minangkabau
Mirandese
Miyobe
Mizo
Mi’kmaq
Moba
Mohawk
Montagnais
Mossi
Mundang
Murrinh-Patha
Murui Huitoto
Mwani
Mískito
Naga Pidgin
Nateni
Navajo
Ndonga
Neapolitan
Ngazidja Comorian
Ngiemboon
Ngomba
Nigerian Fulfulde
Niuean
Nobiin
Nomatsiguenga
North Marquesan
North Ndebele
Northeastern Dinka
Northern Kissi
Northern Qiandong Miao
Northern Uzbek
Nuer
Nyamwezi
Nyanja
Nyankole
Nyemba
Nzima
Occitan
Ojitlán Chinantec
Orma
Oroqen
Otuho
Palauan
Paluan
Pampanga
Papantla Totonac
Papiamento
Paraguayan Guaraní
Pedi
Pichis Ashéninka
Piemontese
Pijin
Pintupi-Luritja
Pipil
Pohnpeian
Potawatomi
Pulaar
Pular
Purepecha
Páez
Quechua
Romansh
Rotokas
Rundi
Rwa
Samburu
Samoan
Sango
Sangu (Tanzania)
Saramaccan
Sardinian
Scots
Scottish Gaelic
Secoya
Sena
Serer
Seri
Seselwa Creole French
Shambala
Sharanahua
Shawnee
Shilluk
Shipibo-Conibo
Shona
Shuar
Sicilian
Siona
Soga
Somali
Soninke
South Marquesan
South Ndebele
Southern Aymara
Southern Dagaare
Southern Qiandong Miao
Southern Sotho
Sranan Tongo
Standard Estonian
Standard Malay
Sukuma
Sundanese
Susu
Swahili
Swati
Tachelhit
Tagalog
Tahitian
Taita
Tasawaq
Tedim Chin
Tem
Teso
Tetum
Tetun Dili
Ticuna
Timne
Tiv
Toba
Tojolabal
Tok Pisin
Tokelau
Tonga (Tonga Islands)
Tonga (Zambia)
Tosk Albanian
Totontepec Mixe
Tsafiki
Tsonga
Tswana
Tumbuka
Tuvalu
Twi
Tzeltal
Tzotzil
Uab Meto
Umbundu
Upper Guinea Crioulo
Urarina
Venda
Venetian
Veps
Võro
Waama
Waci Gbe
Wallisian
Walser
Wangaaybuwan-Ngiyambaa
Waorani
Waray (Philippines)
Warlpiri
Wasa
Wayuu
West Central Oromo
West-Central Limba
Western Abnaki
Western Frisian
Western Niger Fulfulde
Wik-Mungkan
Wiradjuri
Wolof
Xavánte
Xhosa
Xwela Gbe
Yagua
Yanesha’
Yangben
Yanomamö
Yao
Yapese
Yindjibarndi
Yom
Yoruba
Yucateco
Zapotec
Zarma
Zulu
Zuni
Záparo
Bukharic
Eastern Yiddish
Hebrew
Judeo-Persian
Western Yiddish
Aimaq
Algerian Arabic
Baharna Arabic
Chadian Arabic
Dari
Dehwari
Dogri
Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic
Egyptian Arabic
Gulf Arabic
Hadrami Arabic
Hazaragi
Hijazi Arabic
Iranian Persian
Iraqi Arabic
Libyan Arabic
Morrocan Arabic
Najdi Arabic
North Levantine Arabic
North Mesopotamian Arabic
Omani Arabic
Qashqa'i
Saidi Arabic
Sanaani Arabic
South Levantine Arabic
Standard Arabic
Sudanese Arabic
Sudanese Creole Arabic
Talysh
Ta’izzi-Adeni Arabic
Tunisian Arabic
Urdu
Credits & Details
Design Contributions
  • Azza Alameddine (Design Arabic)
  • Yanek Iontef (Design Hebrew)
  • Daniel Grumer (Design Hebrew)
  • Gergő Kókai
  • Tanya George (Co-Design Italics)
  • Gabriel Richter (Co-Design Italics)
  • Andreas Frohloff
  • Ilya Ruderman (Cyrillic consultancy)
  • Irene Vlachou (Greek consultancy)
  • Donny Truong (Vietnamese Consultancy)
  • Paul Hanslow (African Latin consultancy)
Mastering, Production

Christoph Koeberlin
Andreas Frohloff
Igino Marini (spacing/kerning)

Marketing

Christoph Koeberlin (Naming)
Ivo Gabrowitsch (Copywriting, Specimen, Imagery)
Anja Knust (Artwork, Imagery)

Fungi Dube (Artwork, Imagery)
Azza Alameddine (Artwork)
Yanek Iontef (Artwork)
Olli Meier (Artwork, Specimen)
Nik Stohn (Motion Design)
Lucy Beckley (English Translation)
Jana Kühl (Imagery)

Design Period
2016–2022
Release Date
July 20, 2020; Updates March 9, 2021 (Italics); December 20, 2021 (African Latin); December 20, 2022 (Arabic, Hebrew)
Recommended Use

Advertising & Packaging
Editorial & Publishing
Logo, Branding & CI
Poster & Billboards
Responsive Design