Concerned about the the effects of the print-and-forget approach to document use, Utrecht-based SPRANQ created a typeface that saves ink. Ecofont incorporates small holes throughout each character. This reduces the amount of ink used while–at 9 or 10 point font size–not affecting the readability or aesthetic value of the text. SPRANQ estimates that the new font uses up to 20 percent less ink than traditional type. Based on an open source typeface, Ecofont is available for free download for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
The design, “based on a hunch of Colin Willems,” blends functionality with efforts to raise public awareness of wastefulness. While the font per se will save ink, SPRANQ hopes that the quirky idea will make people think before they print and consider other ways to save ink and paper.