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Best Fonts for School T-shirts

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Kate Degen Posted By Kate Degen —

Kate wants her work to impact the little but important moments in people’s lives—like birthdays, anniversaries, and family celebrations. She loves coming up with witty copy that might inspire someone to create an awesome t-shirt!
Who doesn’t love to show off school pride? Custom Ink’s favorite way to do that is with custom t-shirts! Whether you want tees for every student, or personalized gear for your math club, the right shirt paired with the right fonts is sure to make you stand out. You might already have a school or club logo, or maybe you need to come up with one, either way, the fonts in our Design Lab can perfectly complement your existing art or create something brand new. To get you started, below are Custom Ink’s recommendations for the best fonts for school t-shirts.

Font Categories

First, a quick lesson on fonts. There are two main font styles: serif and sans serif.
  1. A serif font has short lines at the ends of the letters, making it look less blocky, one of the most popular serif fonts that you might know is Times.
  2. Sans serif fonts are just that–a font “sans” or without serif. A common sans serif font is Arial.
There are also other font categories like script, handwritten, greek, and decorative fonts, which you’ll see in some of our examples below and categorized in our lab.

Our Best Fonts for School Designs

The sky’s the limit when it comes to creating custom gear for your school. No matter what you’re making—shirts, hoodies, banners, magnets, or more—we’ve narrowed down our favorite fonts to include the three main styles we know students and teachers look for: fun + trendy, bold + sporty, and academic. In the graphic below, you’ll see some of our favorite school templates that use our favorite fonts.

12 Fun + Trendy Fonts for School T-shirts

  1. Amiga
  2. Aromatica
  3. Cooper Black
  4. Drop Dead Gorgeous
  5. Lifehack Basic
  6. Lifehack Caps
  7. Local Brewery
  8. Nickname
  9. Nickname Outline
  10. Salty
  11. Signalist
  12. Viva Beautiful

11 Bold + Sporty Fonts for School T-shirts

  1. Aachen Bold
  2. All-American Bold
  3. Bourton Base
  4. College B
  5. Eveleth Eroded
  6. Housebroken
  7. Taberna Serif Black
  8. United Ext
  9. Stencil
  10. Varsity
  11. Veneer

11 Academic Fonts for School T-shirts

  1. American Typewriter Bold
  2. Birch
  3. Britannic Bold
  4. Chalet Comprime Cologne
  5. Clearface Gothic Bold
  6. Eames Bold
  7. Eurostile Bold Ext
  8. ITC Benguiat
  9. Paperback Roman
  10. Phenix American
  11. Velo

Any Teacher, Parent, or Student Can Elevate a Design with Fonts

Not the art teacher? Not a problem! From teachers and students to parents, these fonts will make your design look extra special. Public, private, and boarding schools alike will find the perfect fonts in our Design Lab. Whether you want a personalized look for your kindergarten 100 days of school celebration or head to toe apparel for senior week, our fonts and products put the power in your hands.

Pairing Fonts

Almost as important as choosing a font is pairing multiple fonts. Pairing two unique fonts that complement one another gives your design a polished and professionally-made look. You’ll see in our graphic below some of our favorite school fonts to pair together. Pairing Nickname Outline with Nickname seems like a smart choice since they’re in a similar family, but they also make for a cohesive look. The headline is fun and bubbly–perfect for your elementary school class–and the subhead nods to the playfulness of the font, but is clear and easy to read for supporting text. If you’re looking to create something that looks academic but still has some flair, pair Phenix American with Chalet Comprime. Phenix American is an all caps font that’s easy to read, but the rounded edges on the letters and lines that overhang give it more character than a traditional sans serif font. While Chalet Comprime is also an all caps sans serif font, it’s clean and traditional–and having wider kerning, or space between the letters–gives it a styled look. Ready to get started on your own school shirts? Head to our Design Lab and check out all of our fun fonts. If you need more inspiration, check out our school templates.

Popular Products for School Designs

Once you’ve picked your fonts, put them on gear students and teachers will actually wear. These 3 picks are a good place to start.

Bayside USA-Made Jersey T-shirt

Bayside USA-Made Jersey T-shirt

  • Made-in-the-USA cotton tee for spirit days
  • Room for a bold school name
Bayside USA-Made Heavyweight Pullover Hoodie

Bayside USA-Made Heavyweight Pullover Hoodie

  • Heavyweight hoodie for game nights
  • School name across the front
Comfort Colors Colorblast T-shirt

Comfort Colors Colorblast T-shirt

  • Washed, vintage-style tee for a retro school look
  • Pairs well with a varsity or script font

Collect sizes with Custom Ink’s Group Order Form. Everyone picks a size from a shared link, and the organizer pays once.

Design Your Own School T-shirts

School T-shirt Fonts FAQ

What are the best fonts for school t-shirts?

It depends on the look you want. Varsity and College B feel sporty, Cooper Black feels fun, and Phenix American feels academic.

How many fonts should I use on one shirt?

Two is usually plenty: one for the headline and one for supporting text, like the pairings shown above.

Can I use my school’s logo with these fonts?

Yes. Upload your logo in the Design Lab and pair it with one of the fonts above for the text.

Can I get help with the design?

Yes. Start in the Design Lab, and Custom Ink’s Inkers can help with fonts, colors, and placement.

More Custom Ink News & Events

Kate wants her work to impact the little but important moments in people’s lives—like birthdays, anniversaries, and family celebrations. She loves coming up with witty copy that might inspire someone to create an awesome t-shirt!

Start Designing