Ligature

A ligature is a typographic feature where two or more letters are joined into a single glyph. Ligatures were originally developed in the era of metal type to solve the problem of certain letter pairs colliding or appearing awkward when set alongside each other — the combination 'fi' is a classic example, where the dot of the lowercase 'i' collides with the hook of the lowercase 'f'. A ligature joins these two letters into a single, harmonious glyph. In contemporary logo and wordmark design, ligatures are used both for technical correctness and as distinctive design features. A custom ligature — connecting two letters in an unexpected or stylised way — can become a signature element of a wordmark, making it immediately distinctive and difficult to replicate using standard typefaces. Ligatures reward close attention and create a sense of craft and intentionality in type-based logo design.