In Rainbow: A Playful Display Font for Handmade Creators
It started with a candle label. I’d just poured my first batch of lavender-vanilla soy candles, and the blank white sticker felt too quiet—like it needed a little spark. That’s when I opened In Rainbow. Instantly, the font’s cheerful curves and bouncy rhythm made me smile. It wasn’t just “cute”—it was warm, intentional, full of personality, like a friend who shows up to your craft table with confetti and good ideas.
In Rainbow is a display font designed for moments that deserve attention—not just readability, but joy. Its letters have gentle swellings, soft terminals, and a subtle bounce in the baseline that gives every word a lifted, sunlit energy. Think of it as modern handwriting meets playful typography: friendly enough for a child’s birthday card, stylish enough for a boutique tote bag, and distinctive enough to make your Etsy listing stand out in a scroll.
I’ve used In Rainbow across real handmade projects—no mockups, no filters, just ink on paper and vinyl on wood. On candle labels, it wraps beautifully around small circular stickers (just keep letter spacing open at 50–70 tracking for best cut accuracy on Cricut or Silhouette). For greeting cards, I pair it with a clean sans serif—like Montserrat Light or Inter Regular—for body text, letting In Rainbow shine in the headline or sentiment. The contrast feels balanced, not busy. And yes—it works in print. I tested it on uncoated cardstock, kraft tags, and glossy sticker sheets, and each time, the outlines stayed crisp, even at 14pt.
It’s especially lovely in seasonal work. Last spring, I designed a set of printable wall art for Easter—pastel eggs, bunny silhouettes, and phrases like “Hop Into Joy” and “Sweetest Season.” In Rainbow gave those phrases movement and lightness without looking childish. For holiday gift tags, I used it in all caps at 28pt on cream linen cardstock, then added a single hand-drawn line beneath the name—simple, cohesive, memorable. Customers noticed. Not because I told them to, but because the font carried warmth right into their hands.
Wedding stationery is another sweet spot. I recently helped a friend design her welcome board—a painted wooden sign for her backyard ceremony. We used In Rainbow for “Welcome to Our Day” and paired it with a delicate script for names and a grounded serif (like Playfair Display) for details. The result felt personal, relaxed, and thoughtfully layered—not trendy, but timeless in its sincerity. No over-designing needed. Just one strong font doing its joyful work.
For digital downloads—planner pages, habit trackers, or printable quote cards—I always test how In Rainbow renders at smaller sizes. It holds up well down to 16pt for titles on A5 pages, but avoid using it for body text or fine print. It’s a display font, not a workhorse—and that’s its strength. Let it introduce, invite, celebrate. Let other fonts handle the rest.
When prepping SVG files for cutting machines, I convert In Rainbow to outlines before saving. Why? Because some alternates and ligatures don’t translate cleanly across software versions—and you want your “&” or “ff” to cut as intended, not glitch mid-cut. Also, double-check the file package: most quality display fonts like In Rainbow include OpenType features—swashes, stylistic sets, or alternate characters. I love swapping in the curly “g” or looping “y” for invitations, but only after confirming they’re included in the version I licensed.
Licensing matters—especially if you’re selling physical goods or commercial digital templates. In Rainbow is a commercial font, so it’s cleared for use on merchandise (mugs, shirts, totes), packaging, and printable downloads—as long as your license covers it. Always verify: does it include multilingual glyphs? Does it support accented characters for bilingual tags or European markets? Mine does, which came in handy for a set of bilingual baby shower printables last summer.
Font pairing is where In Rainbow really sings. Try it with:
- A friendly sans serif (like Nunito or Poppins) for shop banners and social media graphics
- A refined serif (like Cormorant Garamond) for wedding invites or apothecary labels
- A minimalist handwritten font (like Quicksand or Caveat) for layered quotes or journal prompts
- Even a bold geometric display font—for contrast in signage or large-scale wall art
What surprised me most was how consistently In Rainbow elevated perceived quality. Not because it’s flashy—but because it signals care. A hand-poured candle with a thoughtful, joyful label feels more intentional. A printable planner page with In Rainbow at the top doesn’t just say “schedule”—it says “this moment matters.” That emotional resonance is hard to fake, and easy to miss if you’re rushing through font choices.
I keep In Rainbow in my go-to folder for anything that needs a lift: boutique price tags, farmer’s market signs, Instagram story text overlays, even email newsletter headers. It never feels repetitive—because it’s not about repetition, it’s about resonance. You don’t need ten fonts to sound like yourself. Sometimes, one joyful display font—well-chosen, well-used—is exactly what your handmade brand needs to feel fully, warmly, unmistakably *you*.
