PALFINGER font family
To maintain consistency and optimal readability across all media, the comprehensive font family is strictly divided into two primary applications:
PALFINGER
Intended for headlines and short, impactful sublines, this version emphasizes the font's distinct characteristics.
PALFINGER Text
The PALFINGER Text is based on the characteristic of the Headline font, but designed for extra legibility. Intended for smaller typography and longer texts, and is available in Regular, SemiBold, and Bold.
Download
Note: Designers must use the "Design" font package, while the "Office" package is sufficient for standard Microsoft Office users. PALFINGER has a license to give the fonts to partners and agencies without further cost for PALFINGER or the partners.
Hierarchy
The formatting recommendations illustrate the visual hierarchy and interplay between different weights and sizes, helping ensure a consistent and impactful typographic structure across all applications.
Special Formatting Rules:
PALFINGER is always written in uppercase letters as a brand name, never in lowercase or mixed case.
Recommended sizes to start with:
A4 (210 x 297 mm) → 8–10 pt
Screen (1920 x 1080 px) → 18–24 px
Latin, Greek, Cyrillic and Vietnamese
Different language variants are available in the PALFINGER corporate typeface, optimized for both Headline and Text usage. This ensures brand consistency and typographic precision across most of international markets.
Latin
Greek
Cyrillic
Vietnamese
Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Arabic
For these languages, the PALFINGER Headline font is not available. To maintain visual consistency and brand clarity, the free and widely supported Noto Sans font should be used instead. Noto Sans offers extensive language coverage and typographic balance across scripts. For these languages the free license Noto Sans font should be used, in the following relation of weights (see next page).
Note:
- Align baselines and optical weights when mixing scripts.
- Respect native reading directions (e.g., Arabic: RTL).
- Maintain minimum font sizes for legibility in complex scripts.
Japanese
Chinese
Korean
Arabic
Since Noto does not fine tune their styles as detailed as the PALFINGER font, we recommend to only use one style for the Asian/Arabic scripts as a replacement to the Headline and Subline variation.
Note: None of the Asian/Arabic scripts use/have Italics. This is a very uncommon concept in these scripts. Therefore the upright fonts will be used instead.
Noto Sans Japanese / Chinese / Korean / Arabic (Download)
| PALFINGER Font | Noto Sans Japanese/Chinese/Korean/Arabic | Download |
|---|---|---|
| PALFINGER – Headline / Subline | Noto Sans Japanese – Regular Noto Sans Chinese – Regular Noto Sans Korean – Regular Noto Sans Arabic – Regular | Noto Sans Japanese Noto Sans Simplified Chinese Noto Sans Korean Noto Sans Arabic |
| PALFINGER Text – Regular / Italic | Noto Sans Japanese – Regular Noto Sans Chinese – Regular Noto Sans Korean – Regular Noto Sans Arabic – Regular | Noto Sans Japanese Noto Sans Simplified Chinese Noto Sans Korean Noto Sans Arabic |
| PALFINGER Text – Bold / Bold Italic | Noto Sans Japanese – Semibold Noto Sans Chinese – Semibold Noto Sans Korean – Regular Noto Sans Arabic – Semibold | Noto Sans Japanese Noto Sans Simplified Chinese Noto Sans Korean Noto Sans Arabic |
| PALFINGER Text – Black / Black Italic | Noto Sans Japanese – Bold Noto Sans Chinese – Bold Noto Sans Korean – Regular Noto Sans Arabic – Bold | Noto Sans Japanese Noto Sans Simplified Chinese Noto Sans Korean Noto Sans Arabic |
Color across backgrounds
Always ensure sufficient contrast between typography and background. Headlines must remain legible, visually balanced, and consistent across different backgrounds. The following chart outlines best practices for color usage in relation to the brand background types, ensuring clarity and brand integrity in all environments.
Headline in steps of black
To enhance typographic hierarchy and visual storytelling, headline blocks are graded using color shades and are multiplied over the background. The number of lines determines the tonal steps used. This creates a smooth gradient effect that suggests upward motion.
Fixed End Point
The last line must always be set at 60% black, regardless of total line count.
Additional Lines
Try to stick with short and punchy headlines, but if more than five lines are required, continue decreasing in the increments from top down, but never go below 60% on the last line.
Typography Style
These color values apply to headline settings only. Do not apply this shading system to intro text, body copy or sublines.
Headline in steps of white
When used over imagery, PALFINGER headlines adopt a gradient of White tones. This technique is especially effective when paired with gradient overlays or darkened image zones, allowing the typography to remain legible while visually dynamic.
Fixed End Point
The final line must always be set at 70% White opacity – this value is fixed across all variations.
Legibility
A darkened gradient overlay behind the text zone is strongly recommended to enhance legibility of the lighter shades.
Placement over imagery
Avoid placing the lightest lines (below 85%) over bright or complex areas of imagery.
Alignment
Text is typically left-aligned in most PALFINGER applications [ 1 ].
This ensures consistency, clarity, and alignment with the way most audiences read and process information.
Whenever possible, align text elements to clear structural anchors, such as the horizontal bars defined by the Uplifting Line [ 2 ].
Use these structural cues to position logos, headlines, sublines, and body text consistently – maintaining optical balance and brand integrity across all formats.
URL
The URL is always written in uppercase, without a prefix (no www.), and can appear in either bold or regular text styles – using the PALFINGER text font.
It may be positioned flexibly around the margins. The URL’s position should always prioritize:
- Legibility
- Alignment to surrounding elements (e.g., headline, logo, Uplifting Line)
Size Guidelines
- The URL should follow the typographic scale used in the copy tex, when there is one
- In printed media, it must never be smaller than 8pt and never larger as 12pt
- In digital media, it must never be smaller than 18pt and never larger as 24pt
URL and Claim
The claim has even more flexible use, which can be seen in detail on its own chapter.
When the URL and claim appear together, the claim should always take visual priority – either through:
- Hierarchy in size [ 1 ] – the claim should be larger or more prominently styled
- Order of appearance [ 2 ] – the claim should be positioned before the URL in the reading flow.
This ensures the claim retains its role as a primary brand message, while the URL remains a supporting element within the layout.
Quotes
Quotes are set in PALFINGER Subline weight and have a highlighted accent inPALFINGER Red. The size of the Red accent ist 3 times bigger than the font size of the quote.
For example
:
Quote text size: 53 pt
Accent size: 53x3 = 159 pt
Arrow within the font family
The font character set includes arrows in every font weight. You should use them for all functional applications like within text, in presentations and directionals.
Use within directionals signage
Arrow icon with Pattern for large applications
Arrow icon
For larger applications, when the arrow is used as a graphic element or functions as an image, you should use the arrow icon. Its form is even more characteristic than the arrows within the font family. Additionally, there is also an arrow icon filled with the Uplifting Line Pattern, available with Pattern in Red, Limestone and White.
Use within text
Use as graphic element
Don'ts
Do not use line spacing greater than 120% for headlines.
Avoid applying opacity styles to body text or quotes – reserved for main headlines only.
Never place text directly over busy or bright image areas without ensuring readability.
Do not use unapproved font colors for headlines – only use black, White, or brand-approved grays.
Avoid right-aligning text in left-to-right reading contexts – it disrupts visual flow and weakens layout structure.
Do not rotate or distort typography – always maintain horizontal alignment.