Renowned Berlin-based type foundry Fontwerk has released an adorable new typeface which takes its design cues from the chubby cheeks and tubular homes of the humble pet hamster.

The brainchild of world-leading brand identity designer Joe Stitzlein, Hamster is a joyful and colourful new typeface which uses Color Fonts technology to create multiple typographical tones. Packed full of nifty tricks, dingbats and even some hamster characters, this new set is as charming as the animal that inspired it.

But why hamsters? Well, designer Joe recalled the colourful charm of the homes his childhood friend’s hamsters would scurry their way around, and all these years later, this distinctive shape found its way into his capital display typeface.

“We wanted Hamster to be a celebration of joy and delight,” Joe explains. “A font that was fun to use and that could liven up any brand identity or logotype. We’re super excited that Hamster has found a home at Fontwerk.”

This shape and design will be all too familiar for anyone who’s raised a rodent. Specifically based on the Habitrails brand of vibrant plastic tubing, the rounded ends and bold font weights are also deliberately designed to be reminiscent of a hamster’s signature chubby cheeks.

It doesn’t mean Hamster has no scope to be more formal, though. The set comes with lighter weights that, while less playful, would lend themselves perfectly to a logotype centred around young fashion or food brands. “The dingbats that lock together to form patterns are elegant and fun; I could see these used as wallpapers or in architecture,” adds Joe.

Available in 10 eye-catching colourways, Hamster can be tailored to the user’s whims. Not only that but when selecting the lowercase letters, the colours can be inverted for additional variation. By selecting each colour individually, designers can match the font to reflect the special colours of their brand identity.

In six styles ranging from Thin to ExtraBlack, Hamster also contains five hamster characters drawn by illustrator Laurie Schmitt. This is on top of the 19 decorative ornaments that comprise Hamster’s full range of typographic possibilities.

Launched in collaboration with the help of internationally renowned design agency SNASK – who is to thank for the charming video campaign that sees a conveyor belt of Hamster letters playfully dipped into a bowl of paint – the typeface aims to be a tactile and colourful font for designers who are looking for something bold and beautiful.

“Hamster is bursting with fun, joy and most importantly, colour!” concludes Ivo Gabrowitsch, Founder of Fontwerk. “Joe’s immense experience and eye for design is something we are hugely grateful for, and we are so delighted to welcome his playful and fun creation to Fontwerk.”

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