Distressed Ekmu 2 is a very bold, normal width, medium contrast, upright, normal x-height font visually similar to 'Izmir' by Ahmet Altun, 'Averta PE' and 'Averta Standard PE' by Intelligent Design, and 'Grold' and 'Grold Rounded' by Typesketchbook (names referenced only for comparison).
Keywords: posters, packaging, headlines, stickers, merchandise, playful, handmade, rugged, retro, friendly, add texture, evoke print wear, feel handmade, create impact, rounded, soft corners, rough texture, blotchy, chunky.
A heavy, rounded sans with softly squared contours and slightly uneven, hand-cut geometry. Strokes are thick and compact, with generous curves in bowls and terminals that lean toward blunt, blocky finishes. A consistent distressed texture appears throughout, showing speckling and worn patches inside the letterforms that mimic ink breakup or scuffed printing. The overall rhythm is bouncy and informal, with subtle irregularities in width and curvature that keep the shapes from feeling mechanically uniform.
Best suited for bold display applications where texture is an asset—posters, playful branding, packaging, stickers, and apparel graphics. It works especially well in short headlines, logos, and callouts where the worn print effect can be appreciated without sacrificing clarity.
The font reads as cheerful and approachable while still feeling gritty and tactile, like a well-loved stamp or screenprint. Its weathered surface adds a vintage, craft-forward tone that suggests authenticity and playful roughness rather than refinement.
The design appears intended to deliver a strong, friendly display voice with an intentionally imperfect, worn texture—evoking handmade printing and adding character to modern layouts that need a tactile, retro-leaning accent.
Counters stay relatively open for the weight, helping short words remain recognizable, but the internal distressing becomes more prominent as sizes get smaller. Numerals and capitals share the same chunky, rounded construction, maintaining a cohesive, poster-like presence across mixed-case settings.