Softhard is a condensed, German-style grotesk that comes in two separate versions. One “sharp” and one with rounded strokes. It began as a research into rounded typefaces that started to appear in Germany in the second half of the 19th century. In their quest for originality, the type designers of that time were trying to develop a new style of their grotesk typefaces through rounding their stroke endings. The first typefaces made this way looked more like a hideous offspring of their sharp counterparts, but as this style gained traction over the years, they became more refined. Particularly since the late 20th century, we can see them everywhere in food advertising and package design. Their softness makes them convey pleasant feelings, friendliness and joy. Softhard aims to be a consistent type family, where rounded and sharp styles share the same horizontal proportions and metrics, so they can be freely combined on the same line. Each version has four weights, ranging from light to bold. Condensed grotesks are traditionally used in magazine and tabloid headlines, because they can pack a lot of letters in a small space, while their blackness provides the needed visual punch. Softhard has these characteristics as well, while extending the visual range with a pleasantness of the rounded version. It also works great on posters, in packaging and any other display purposes.