Balete
No curves, all calligraphy: Balete's illusion of fluid script built entirely from straight lines
Balete is a type family designed by Jad Maza, released in 2024. It draws on the hemiepiphytic balete tree of the Philippines—notorious in local folklore as a home to supernatural beings—translating the tree's dangling, strangling roots into slender, creeping terminals on twisting stems. Despite its calligraphic appearance, the design contains no curved lines. The family spans Thin to Black weights in both Roman and Italic styles, with Latin European and Vietnamese language support.
Set in Balete
Insights
- The calligraphic effect is achieved without a single curved line—an unusual constraint for a script-influenced face.
- Roman and Italic styles are described as distinctly drawn, suggesting independent design per style rather than a derived relationship.
- Released in variable font format alongside static TTF and WOFF files, spanning Thin through Black weights.
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