Typography
Primary Typeface
Our primary typeface for headings is Manrope, a modern, open-source sans serif typeface designed by Mikhail Sharanda in 2018. Manrope strikes a fine balance between approachability and authority, thanks to its clean geometric structure softened by subtly rounded corners. This fusion of friendliness and strength makes it especially effective for headings, drawing attention with clarity and impact, while maintaining a contemporary and professional tone.
Leading
Leading in typography refers to the vertical space between lines of text, measured from baseline to baseline. Proper leading ensures that lines are comfortably spaced, neither too tight, which can make text feel cramped and hard to read, nor too loose, which can disrupt the reader’s flow. Leading establishes hierarchy, improves legibility and visual harmony, and creates a more inviting reading experience.
Leading for primary typeface
When used for headings, Manrope benefits from tighter leading to enhance its bold, structured appearance and create a strong visual impact. Since headings are typically shorter and designed to grab attention, reduced vertical spacing between lines helps maintain a compact, cohesive look. For optimal clarity and aesthetic harmony, we recommend setting Manrope’s leading at approximately 100–110% of the font size when used in multi-line headings, adjusting as needed based on layout and scale.
Avoid Loose Leading
Overly loose leading creates a lack of cohesion, making the text feel disjointed.
Aim For Closer Leading
Tighter leading unifies the lines, making them feel like a cohesive element.
Leading for secondary typeface
When used for body text, Schibsted Grotesk requires generous leading to ensure comfortable readability, especially in information-dense layouts. It's clean, open letterforms perform best with slightly increased vertical spacing, allowing each line of text to breathe. For optimal legibility, we recommend setting the leading at approximately 130–140% of the font size
Avoid too loose or too tight leading
Excessively loose leading disrupts visual continuity, resulting in a fragmented reading experience, whereas overly tight leading causes lines to feel cramped, hindering readability and making the text harder to scan.
Leading with the right amount
Appropriate leading improves readability, strengthens user experience, and reflects the clarity and professionalism of Asia Circles’ brand communication.
Type Hierarchy
Typographic hierarchy is the intentional arrangement of text elements to guide the reader’s eye and convey the relative importance of information. By varying font size, weight, color, spacing, and style, hierarchy establishes a clear visual structure that enables quick scanning and easy comprehension. Use the different weights and sizes of Manrope for headings and Schibsted Grotesk for body text to create a strong, functional hierarchy.
Examples
Below are examples of how HM21’s typography is applied across key brand touchpoints.
