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How The Designers Foundry went from side project to global type provider

How The Designers Foundry went from side project to global type provider

The New Zealand type foundry has been offering quality, accessible and interesting typefaces to designers since 2012. We chatted with Daniel McQueen about how it all began and how they've carved out a niche in a highly competitive industry.

The New Zealand type foundry has been offering quality, accessible and interesting typefaces to designers since 2012. We chatted with Daniel McQueen about how it all began and how they've carved out a niche in a highly competitive industry.

Written BY:

Written BY:

Tom May

Tom May

21 November 2024

21 November 2024

Simple setup

The initial setup of The Designers Foundry was refreshingly straightforward. "It was incredibly basic: just a thumbnail JPG of the font name and a PayPal button," remembers Daniel. "I manually emailed the fonts to buyers! But despite its simplicity, it was popular enough to allow me to expand the font offerings and improve the website. Twelve, almost 13 years later, I'm still at it."

Since then, of course, the marketplace has become super-crowded and competitive. So, how has TDF survived? "There are so many incredible type foundries out there, but we try to stand out by focusing on variable fonts," responds Daniel. "We're currently developing new tools for our website to showcase these even more effectively. Another thing that sets us apart is our unique merch—something I really enjoy creating and that's had good interest over the years. We've made everything from bricks to rain jackets to wall clocks."

If you're interested in developing a project with us, please schedule a call. We're passionate about creating brands across various industries and markets.

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    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

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    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

© 2024 ATLA*

CHICAGO* & MEXICO CITY*

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

3:44:00 PM

If you're interested in developing a project with us, please schedule a call. We're passionate about creating brands across various industries and markets.

  • DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

© 2024 ATLA*

CHICAGO* & MEXICO CITY*

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

3:44:00 PM

If you're interested in developing a project with us, please schedule a call. We're passionate about creating brands across various industries and markets.

  • DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

    DESIGN & STRATEGY *

© 2024 ATLA*

CHICAGO* & MEXICO CITY*

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

3:44:00 PM