THE CIRCULAR ALPHABET

Powered by Kapdaa, The Circular Alphabet transforms textile waste into functional typefaces, reimagining discarded materials as a new form of visual communication. The project diverts fabric waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill or incineration, highlighting the environmental impact of fashion waste while promoting more conscious, circular design practices.

Designed collaboratively, the project explores how typography can influence culture, behaviour, and consumption while acknowledging the material consequences behind design systems. Each typeface was carefully developed to not only communicate sustainability visually, but also reduce ink usage in print and improve digital efficiency through faster loading performance.

Using typefaces developed from textile waste — including buttons, fabric off-cuts, threads, and textured materials — Sophia designed a typeface, a series of exhibition posters, a website and a publication inspired by Kapdaa’s signature monochrome identity. The project combines a bold visual language with a refined, professional aesthetic, transforming discarded materials into expressive typographic forms.

Responding to Kapdaa’s mission of reducing garment waste and limiting landfill and textile export, the project explored a design-led approach to sustainability through experimentation, materiality, and visual communication.