Distressed Pulam 5 is a bold, very narrow, high contrast, upright, short x-height font.
Keywords: posters, album art, headlines, packaging, stickers, grunge, hand-stamped, vintage, raw, punk, distressed print, diy feel, analog texture, display impact, gritty voice, textured, roughened, inked, condensed, irregular.
A condensed, all-purpose sans with a rugged, ink-worn texture throughout. Strokes are heavy but uneven, with chipped edges, small voids, and blotty counters that mimic distressed printing or a dry brush/roller. The letterforms stay largely geometric and upright, with compact widths and a slightly inconsistent rhythm from glyph to glyph, reinforcing a handmade, imperfect impression. Numerals and lowercase share the same roughened construction, with narrow proportions and tight internal spaces that deepen the dark color on the page.
Works best for short, high-impact text such as posters, album covers, event flyers, labels, and packaging where a gritty print feel is desired. It can also add character to pull quotes or section headers, especially when paired with a clean companion font for body copy.
The overall tone feels gritty and analog—like lettering pulled from a well-used stamp set, screenprint, or photocopied flyer. It reads as energetic and rebellious, with a DIY, street-level attitude that suits music, craft, and underground aesthetics.
The design appears intended to deliver a compact, attention-grabbing display voice while simulating wear, rough ink transfer, and imperfect reproduction. It prioritizes texture and attitude over neutrality, aiming for an authentic distressed print look.
The texture is strong enough that fine details can fill in at smaller sizes, so the face benefits from generous sizing and spacing where the distressed counters can remain legible. The narrow build creates tall word silhouettes and a punchy, poster-like presence when set in caps.