Sans Serif

Sans serif typefaces are typefaces without the decorative end strokes (serifs) found on traditional letterforms. The term comes from the French 'sans' meaning 'without'. Sans serif type became prominent in the 20th century with the rise of modernist design movements, which valued simplicity, clarity, and rationality over historical ornament. Today, sans serif typefaces are the dominant choice in logo and brand design, associated with modernity, clarity, directness, and accessibility. From Helvetica to Futura, from Gill Sans to Gotham, sans serif typefaces have defined the visual language of corporate and consumer brand identity for decades. The category is extremely broad — ranging from geometric sans serifs with perfectly circular forms to humanist sans serifs with the organic variation of hand-drawn lettering — and the choice within the category has a significant impact on the personality a logo projects.