Extra Light, Ultra Thin Fonts: Hairline Type Lends Elegance to the Page

FF Meta Light with PMN Caecilia in Real Simple magazine.

Just as there is often a need for extra heavy type, the delicate stuff on the light end of the spectrum has its place as well. Here, we gather the typefaces in FontShop's catalog with the thinnest of weights. See the Fine Lines newsletter for a closer look at some of our favorites.

Extra Light Sans Serifs

Sans serif families sometimes include a "Hairline" or "Thin" font meant for large sizes. The following are those sans typefaces with a weight thinner than "Light".

HumanistFF Milo Thin and ExtralightFF Meta Hairline and ThinFF Sanuk Hairline and ThinFF Absara Sans ThinFF Clan ThinFF Unit ThinFF Kievit Thin and Extra LightLocator Ultra LightSun Extra LightStainless Thin and Ultra ThinAgenda ThinTruth ThinToday Sans Extra LightMundo Sans Extra LightTaz III HairGloriola Display HairFF Daxline ThinAgilita Hairline and Ultra ThinFF Speak LightGrotesque/GothicHelvetica Ultra LightTitling Gothic ThinInterstate Hairline, Interstate Thin, Interstate Extra LightBenton Sans Thin and Extra LightAntenna ThinGriffith Gothic ThinParalucent Thin, Paralucent Extra LightStratum ThinProxima Nova ThinMinistry ThinPreface ThinParangon (Cyrillic with basic Latin character set)LTC Goudy Sans HairlineP22 Underground ThinGeometricKabel LightITC Avant Garde Gothic Extra Light + AlternateURW Futura LightBryant Pro LightDrescher Grotesk LightMartin Gothic ThinRegulator ThinHoratio LightPurista Thin

Extra Light Slab Serifs

Ultra thin headline and novelty typefaces.

Lubalin Graph Extra LightBeton LightSerifa B Extra Light, Serifa ThinURW Typewriter Extra LightGlypha ThinAquarius LightConstructa ThinBodoni Egyptian ThinFF Absara ThinHelium LightChaparral Light DisplayAdore LightEgyptienne Extra LightAquarius Light

Extra Light Display Faces

Ultra thin headline and novelty typefaces.

FF QType Extra LightMissionaryAgency ThinArmada ThinMostra LightTransfer A GaugeArmchair Modern A GaugeAnisette ThinRitafurey ThinFF Fontesque Sans Ultra LightNiagara ThinRoller LightLTC Glamour Hairline EngravedP22 Arts and Crafts Extra LightDriade LineaCruz Grafica ThinKamaro Slang InzPassenger Extra LightIsometrik Extra LightProun LightDaco ThinDixon Thin

Extra Light Scripts

Ultra thin script typefaces.

NoviaHandsome Pro ThinYoung BaroquePalace ScriptJavelin LightBiscottiMilonguitaP22 AllysonP22 Cruz BallpointP22 HirominaP22 ZanerRoyal Classic

UPDATE

Extra Light Serifs

There aren't many book serifs that are as ultra light overall as those in the slab and sans categories. Display versions of text serifs are generally high contrast, so there is usually a mid-to-heavy part of the stroke. Nevertheless, it can be useful to have a list of serif fonts that are very light in color.

ArepoEldorado DisplayElectra DisplayCalifornian DisplayMiller DisplayFB Garamond Display LightProforma Ultra LightFresco LightBig CaslonMinion DisplayWarnock Light DisplayFreight Text LightFilosofia GrandLinotype DidotAmbroise LightFF Holmen HeadlineRTF IsabelleQuimera BlancaRayuela BlancaBerling

Update: May 2, 2008— Several new fonts added.

Update: August 15, 2009— Test all the fonts in this list at FontShop.com