Dương Trần

Info

A somewhat-award-winning Graphic & Type Designer, based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Read More

Services

Info

A somewhat-award-winning Graphic & Type Designer, based in Hanoi, Vietnam. Read More

Services

Dương T®ần|

A more Refined Typeface for a Household Goods brand.

(2024)

Custom Typeface, Collaborated with B&A Agency
For Inochi

In late 2023, I was commissioned by B&A to design a bespoke sans-serif typeface for Inochi, a household goods brand. Our goal was to enhance Inochi’s spirit and brings their tagline—Beside you every day—to life.

First things first, I need to understand what is "Inochi", and how I could translate their tone of voice into the type. To be honest, I hadn’t looked deeply into the brand before this project. I didn't even realize they were a premium brand, and like many people, I assumed they were from Japan.

Motions from B&A Agency

After reviewing the old brand typeface—Averta, we agreed that there were quite a few redundant details that needed to be removed. The new typeface also had to capture the high quality, minimalist vibe that was previously missing.

I started by defining the Inochi typeface's genre. Their logo is full of geometric shapes that feel industrial and functional, just like their products. However, to avoid a mechanical look, I focused on embodying the brand's essence: quality, care, and everyday presence.

This led to the name InoSans—a blend of "sans-serif" and the Japanese word "-san". I envisioned the typeface as a mix of grotesque and geometric styles, aiming for a universal and approachable tone.

The capitals and some lowercases are subtly narrower to optimize spacing—especially on packaging, where the typeface is most frequently used.

InoSans brings a warm and playful vibe with its rounded, soft details—taking inspiration straight from Inochi’s product design and brand spirit. Its open terminals, even textures, and unconventional proportions contribute to a distinctive and unpretentious character.

InoSans Display

DemiBold

InoSans Display

SemiBold

InoSans Display

Medium Italic

InoSans Text

Regular

InoSans Text

Regular

InoSans Text

Bold

Available in upright & italic styles, and with two optical sizes, InoSans offers optimal versatility for a wide range of applications.

Let's not forget about Vietnamese diacritics, which were carefully adjusted and optimized to fit within the line height.

You can check out the full amazing showcase of the Inochi brand by B&A Agency below—it’s just Volume 1, since they’ve done so much works on this branding project.