What is GARBO anyway?
GARBO Inspired Postcards
Garbo is a marine litter-inspired typeface created as part of a collaborative project with my classmates at USF St. Petersburg. Given that our campus is situated right on the water, we all felt deeply connected to the issue of marine pollution and wanted to use design as a way to raise awareness.
We constructed this typeface using various materials commonly found in marine litter—plastic, rope, fabric, wood, mesh, and other discarded debris—transforming waste into a visual statement. By repurposing these elements into letterforms, we aimed to highlight the contrast between the beauty of our coastal environment and the human impact that threatens it.
To further drive this message home, we chose postcards as our medium of delivery. Postcards often depict idyllic vacation scenes, celebrating the beauty of Florida’s beaches and tourism industry. However, we wanted to expose the reality behind the picture-perfect landscapes—the growing environmental damage that lies just beneath the surface. To enhance the nostalgic feel, we incorporated a vintage aesthetic, using pin-up girls reminiscent of a time when postcards were a staple of travel culture. This juxtaposition of glamour and environmental concern creates a striking commentary on how we market paradise while simultaneously harming the ecosystems that make it so special.
Garbo is more than just a typeface—it’s a call to action, reminding us that preserving the places we love requires awareness, responsibility, and change.
GARBO Typeface Poster
The Process Behind GARBO
We constructed this typeface using various materials commonly found in marine litter—plastic, rope, fabric, wood, mesh, and other discarded debris. To transform these physical textures into a functional typeface, we first scanned them into Photoshop, then posterized and converted them to grayscale, allowing for easier color manipulation later in the design process. This method helped preserve the organic qualities of the materials while giving us full creative control over the final look.
