SUSE Custom Typeface Design
Crafting the infinite potential of open source through typography.
Usage
January 2025
3.89 million
Number of times Google Fonts API served SUSE over the last week. SUSE is featured in more than 3,300 websites.
Intro
For SUSE, a leader in open-source software, we sought to develop a custom typeface that would bring their brand identity to life through distinctive, approachable, and tech-forward typography. I supervised the project and collaborated with type designer Rene Bieder to design a typeface that seamlessly integrates with SUSE’s visual language, supporting their brand ethos across digital and print platforms.
The approach
Our focus was to embody SUSE’s open-source philosophy and innovative spirit. Together with Rene, we crafted a typeface that connected SUSE’s established visual identity with modern, technical design requirements. The rounded forms reference SUSE’s logo and create visual continuity across brand touchpoints. We wanted every detail to communicate SUSE’s adaptability and reliability, with a balance of warmth and functionality that would resonate with a global audience.
With few parametres in place to ensure the typeface stayed true to SUSE’s existing brand values, this new font needed new elements to function better than the existing Poppins and to be distinctive.
Reliable + Stable
Friendly + Approachable
Incorporating Infinity
Taking into account both the key considerations and brand-defining adjectives, the design was also influenced by a mix of new and existing visual elements. The infinity grid and infinity stream, in particular, played a significant role in shaping the typeface. Additionally, the rounded edges from the wordmark informed the design of certain uppercase and lowercase letters. This results in a font with a refined technical quality that further reinforces its link to the SUSE brand.
The SUSE Wordmark
The Infinity Grid
The Infinity Stream
The freedom of open source
Available as an open-source font, this typeface can be downloaded for free from Google Fonts, aligning with the company’s values. Its variable font design offers flexible weight adjustments beyond the standard range, making it highly adaptable for different design needs. The family includes eight distinct styles, from the delicate, crisp Thin to the bold, attention-grabbing ExtraBold.
The Team
Strategy
Malte Adomeit, Strategy Lead
Creative
India Armstrong, Creative Lead and Supervisor
René Bieder, Typographer
All work presented here has been developed for different companies, brands and agencies. All intellectual property rights reserved for these entities and their respective clients.