Typography is not just words. It’s identity. That’s where our mission starts: We create the fonts that suit your type.
Identity Letters is a boutique type foundry based in Germany, right next to the Dutch border—an ideal place for a straightforward type business. It's fueled by the cosmopolitan spirit of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, close to the cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf, and informed by a rich cultural history whose traces are ubiquitous in the area. Here we work hard to provide businesses and creatives anywhere in the world with powerful, precisely crafted fonts that get across the right message. Our credo: Typography is not just words. It's identity. That's where our mission starts: we create the fonts that suit your type.
And since typefaces aren't just made to be looked at but meant to be used, our sweet'n'easy licenses will make your fonts more useful than ever.
People
Moritz Kleinsorge
Director & Principal Type Designer
mk@identity-letters.com
Sometimes, you'd think Moritz was born to be a type designer. In fact, he loves structuring and organizing not only lettershapes but almost anything in his surroundings—the term "Total Design" comes to mind. A trained graphic designer always on the lookout for tools that support his design approach, Moritz knows what a typeface needs in order to be a true asset in demanding editorial and branding projects. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for the history of type, he's the kind of down-to-earth creator who prefers realizing over theorizing. You'll quickly find him in the type lab as soon as there's an opportunity to explore the connection between the time-tested truths of typography and state of the art font technology.
Moritz graduated with a Bachelor's degree in graphic design from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences and completed an MA in communication design at Peter Behrens School of Arts, Düsseldorf, as well as an Expert Class Type Design postgraduate diploma at Plantin Institute for Typography, Antwerp, in 2018.
When he's not working on a new typeface, Moritz is an avid tennis player and cyclist. You'll also find him gardening a lot. He's not particularly excited about that, though.
Important facts:
- Can't get enough of high pressure cleaning videos
- Has never smoked a cigarette in his life
Kathrin Borhof
Social Media & Content Manager
kb@identity-letters.com
Kathrin knows how to tell a story—a skill she uses both as a graphic designer and as an illustrator. She designs and manages Identity Letters’ social media feeds and content marketing.
Kathrin graduated with a BA in graphic design from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences and went on to gain a Master's degree in communication design at Peter Behrens School of Arts, Düsseldorf, in 2020.
Important facts:
- Is a home-improvement champion
- knows all dog breeds
Christian Gruber
Type Designer
christiangruber.de
Chris knows how a typeface should work because he knows what a good book looks like. In fact, he’s so enamored of books that there’s hardly a year with less than 50 of them being added to his library.
With a Bachelor’s degree in media design from the University of Applied Sciences Hof, he’s not only capable of typesetting a flawless ragged edge but also has a knack for photography—Christian’s collection of point-and-shoot cameras is impressive. At his Alma Mater, he’s been giving type design and layout workshops since 2018.
At Identity Letters, Chris designed the typefaces Baghira
Important facts:
- makes the best pesto alla calabrese in Bavaria
- also known as the Cat Whisperer
Johannes López Ayala
Copywriting & Naming Specialist
Johannes is a designer, writer, and artist. One day, he lost his heart to type and left a pleasant job in marketing to spend his days nudging letters.
Before studying Industrial Design and Communication Design, Johannes trained and worked as a language teacher at Academia Europea in San Salvador and he loved it—which might explain his unexpected vigor in presentation situations to this day.
With his design office, Tipogris Books and Brands, he creates corporate identities and premium publications for cultural institutions and industrial enterprises. At Identity Letters, he’s in charge of all the words you can read on this website. Outside of his client work, he writes about jazz, philosophy, art history, and, of course, type.
Important facts:
- Favorite poem by Jane Hirshfield: “A day is vast. / Until noon. / Then it’s over.”
- Says he doesn’t like radio, yet can frequently be found tuning in to random stations from all over the world