I’ve been reflecting on the idea of prefab design—inspired by Elizabeth Goodspeed’s recent piece on prefab brand identities—and wondering how this applies to typography.
Reading Elizabeth Goodspeed’s piece on prefab brand identities made me see a useful analogy. She explores how ready-made identities offer speed and affordability but risk losing depth, authorship, and the ability to evolve with a brand.
The same question applies to typography:
Convenience vs. distinctiveness
Cost vs. long-term brand equity
Quick solutions vs. meaningful creative partnership
Perhaps prefab identities, can work in certain contexts—but they may never replace the richness of something tailored.
As a type designer, I already provide brand-ready solutions right now. My typefaces (and those of many other designers) are available for licensing and can be immediately applied in branding projects. And if a company wants something tailored but doesn’t have the time or budget for a fully custom typeface, it’s always possible to ask the designer for adjustments. This way, you get the efficiency of a prefab solution combined with the nuance of a bespoke approach.
Prefab solutions in branding are appealing: they’re fast, accessible, and affordable. But in branding, a typeface isn’t just a visual element. It’s the brand’s voice, carrying meaning across every touchpoint. That means a typeface has to do more than just look good; it has to adapt, evolve, and truly belong to the brand.
Aliaksei Koval
typeface designer, calligrapher and educator