Distressed Nibow 5 is a bold, normal width, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font.
Keywords: posters, headlines, packaging, labels, signage, vintage, gritty, rustic, printed, handmade, aged print, rustic branding, tactile texture, statement type, slab serif, worn, textured, inked, soft corners.
A heavy slab-serif display face with rounded, ink-swollen forms and visibly uneven contours. Strokes keep a sturdy, mostly consistent weight while edges break and wobble in a way that suggests worn type or rough printing. Serifs are blunt and bracketed, with softened corners and slight bite marks along terminals and joins. The overall rhythm is lively and slightly irregular, with compact counters and a textured silhouette that stays legible even as the outlines look distressed.
Best suited to short-to-medium text where texture is a feature: posters, headlines, packaging and label systems, restaurant or coffee branding, and rustic signage. It can work in larger paragraph settings when generous size and spacing are used, but it’s most effective when the distressed outline can read clearly.
The font projects a vintage, workmanlike tone—part old letterpress, part stamped signage. Its roughened edges and weighty presence feel gritty and authentic, lending a tactile, analog character that reads as imperfect in an intentional, crafted way.
The design appears intended to mimic the look of aged metal type or rough ink transfer, combining sturdy slab-serif structure with deliberate wear. It prioritizes bold readability while adding an analog, lived-in surface for thematic display typography.
Capitals are broad and emphatic, while lowercase keeps a sturdy, utilitarian feel; the distressing is consistent across letters and numerals rather than looking randomly applied. The numerals share the same rounded, worn treatment, helping mixed text maintain a cohesive, printed texture.