Fort is built by Mattox Shuler and based out of Athens, GA. It began as a fun side-project exploring what it takes to create a typeface. After a few feeble, yet amusing attempts, Fort put out its first professional typeface in early 2013 through distributors like MyFonts.

From there, the foundry quickly and surprisingly took off with that initial typeface and each subsequent release making their way onto “Hot New Fonts” lists. The side-project soon became a full-time endeavor and passion to build well-crafted type. During its first year, the foundry went under the name of Hold Fast Foundry with its sole focus on type design.

A desire had been welling up over that first year to do something more—to connect the digital nature of producing type with something physical for people to enjoy. That idea brought about the launch of Fort Foundry.

From time to time, Fort produces limited edition type specimens in the form of apparel, posters, or books to go alongside the release of a new typeface.