Typeface Design for LeftLoft

From commission to catalogue: a slab serif built to companion LFT Etica

LFT Etica Sheriff is a slab serif family designed by Leftloft (Milan) with type design by Octavio Pardo, originating as a commissioned project for a client already using the sans companion LFT Etica. The family spans 36 styles across regular, condensed, and compressed widths, all with matching italics. The stated design priority was the ability to span various tones and communication types — from firm to forgiving — with character details used to reinforce an approachable personality across the weight range.

Set in LFT Etica Sheriff

Insights

The lowercase 'k' transitions from disconnected strokes in lighter weights to a joined form in heavier weights, while the capital 'K' retains a straight bar in that same connection — a deliberate distinction noted in the source.
Asymmetrical serifs on the lowercase 'x' are cited as a key personality detail.
The family's tall x-height — shared with LFT Etica — causes lighter weights to appear optically narrower and heavier weights optically wider, without changing actual width.
The slab construction produces darker text colour, which the foundry notes allows text to be set at a lighter weight than typically expected.