editorial

Lora and Hanken Grotesk font pairing

Serif headings with a sans serif body.

Background
Issue 07 · Field notes
The art of saying less

Good pairings feel inevitable. Great ones set the tone before a single word is read.

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A strong pairing creates clear hierarchy while feeling like one consistent voice across every page. This paragraph is set in Hanken Grotesk, while the headline uses Lora. Numbers like 0123456789, punctuation “quotes” — and ampersands & — reveal a lot about how two typefaces get along.

Contrast, then harmony

Look for contrast in structure and harmony in proportion: similar x-heights, compatible widths and a shared sense of rhythm. Bold text and italic text should feel natural, too.

Why this pairing works

A classic contrast: Lora's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Hanken Grotesk's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Hanken Grotesk ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

HLora

Lora is a free serif typeface designed by Cyreal, added to Google Fonts in 2011. It comes in 4 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Lora →

BHanken Grotesk

Hanken Grotesk is a free sans serif typeface designed by Alfredo Marco Pradil and Hanken Design Co., added to Google Fonts in 2022. It comes in 9 weights with matching italics, and is a variable font with a weight axis.

More pairings for Hanken Grotesk →

Use this pairing on your website

HTML — paste in <head>
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com">
<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Lora:wght@700&family=Hanken+Grotesk:wght@400;700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
CSS
h1, h2, h3 {
  font-family: 'Lora', serif;
  font-weight: 700;
}

body {
  font-family: 'Hanken Grotesk', sans-serif;
  font-weight: 400;
  line-height: 1.6;
}

More pairings with Lora

The art of saying less

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HLoraBGoogle Sanseditorial→

A classic contrast: Lora's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Google Sans's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

More pairings with Hanken Grotesk

Make something people love

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HCormorant GaramondBHanken Groteskeditorial→

A classic contrast: Cormorant Garamond's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Hanken Grotesk's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Stories worth reading slowly

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HRoboto SerifBHanken Groteskeditorial→

A classic contrast: Roboto Serif's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Hanken Grotesk's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens.

Everything starts with a sketch

Typography sets the tone before a single word is read. A good pairing feels like one voice.

HHanken GroteskBFrauncesmoderneditorial→

A modern twist on the classic: Hanken Grotesk keeps headings crisp and contemporary, while Fraunces's serifs guide the eye along longer lines of text.

Frequently asked questions

Do Lora and Hanken Grotesk go well together?

A classic contrast: Lora's serifs give headlines an editorial, trustworthy voice while Hanken Grotesk's clean shapes keep body text easy to scan on screens. Hanken Grotesk ships in 9 weights, so you can build captions, buttons and emphasis without adding another family.

Which font should be used for headings?

Use Lora for headings at weight 700, and Hanken Grotesk for body text at weight 400. You can swap them in the pairing tool to compare.

Are Lora and Hanken Grotesk free?

Yes — both are open-source fonts on Google Fonts and free for personal and commercial use.