Labore is a unitized variable typeface that explores how material-based historical research can inform contemporary font design. Inspired by the Renaissance punchcutter Hendrik van den Keere, it was developed through archival research at the Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp, Belgium, including close study of punches, matrices, smokeproofs, and printed documents. Its name and special “Golden Compass” glyph reference the printer’s mark of Christophe Plantin’s press, which often depicted a hand holding a compass alongside the Latin phrase Labore et Constantia—“through work and constancy.”

Five named styles span a weight axis, supported by an extensive character set covering more than 435 Latin-script languages. Labore’s OpenType features are designed to make digital typesetting more intuitive and responsive to both the conventions of contemporary text-based communication and the constraints of standard keyboard input. Tight-Fitting alternates provide more compact forms; Smart Typography simplifies access to special characters and corrects common typesetting errors; and the Saltillo feature replaces a typed apostrophe with the appropriate Saltillo letter used in many Indigenous languages, developed with support from Alfonso García. More expressive features—including Discretionary Ligatures, Swashes, and Stylistic Alternates—allow the texture and character of the text to shift.