Fold Grotesque is an exploration of the neo-grotesques, a type classification which evolved from the first sans serifs, or grotesques, of the early 19th century.

The first grotesques were novelty display types, often without lowercase or italics and were not widely accepted or popular with printers. However, by the mid-20th century, post-war modernist thinking and the desire to convey information in an objective and neutral manner led to a re-evaluation of these forms, which were further rationalised and turned into systematic type families with consistent details and even (type) colour. The naïve grotesques of the previous century had evolved into an all-purpose style, suitable for a broad range of applications. Thus, the neo-grotesque emerged and has remained a steadfast choice for designers seeking a no-nonsense tool for communication until the present day.

Loosely inspired by the Bauer Foundry’s Folio, Fold’s intentional absence of flourish and embellishment gives it a matter-of-fact voice. The design is generally straightforward but it does retain some quirks: the sloping nose of the «1», cut off at an angle rather than horizontally or vertically like most other stroke endings; the variation in letter widths which rooted in Roman Capitals creates a rhythm contrary to the uniformity typical of the genre; and the three-quarter height numerals help create an even texture in running text.

Fold is available in four weights — Light, Regular, Medium and Bold — with corresponding Italics. It is available to licence in two flavours; Standard (‘STD’) and Professional (‘PRO’). The PRO variant contains OpenType features such as old-style numerals, case sensitive forms and stylistic alternates.