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T-Shirts for Type Nerds

“Anyone who uses Helvetica,” Wolfgang Weingart famously said, “knows nothing about typefaces.” A new apparel retailer aims to prove Mr. Weingart wrong. Helveticahaus, the brainchild of Spokane designers CK and Linda Anderson, launched in February with a line of T-shirts featuring the renowned Swiss font. Their mission, they said, is to appeal to Helvetica admirers around the world while introducing its “practical and timeless qualities” to the next generation of designers. In other words, Helveticahaus is a philanthropic effort to fund scholarships for students working toward visual communication degrees at Spokane Falls Community College (the Andersons’ alma mater), Eastern Washington University, or North Idaho College. “We just wanted to give back – in a creative and meaningful way – to the design profession that has given so much to us,” explained Linda Anderson. “So we decided to help young designers pursue and achieve their career aspirations. Having fun with apparel and type is just an added bonus.”