Why these brands chose Headless Shopify

Why Opt for Headless Over a Shopify theme?

• Total Creative Freedom: Forget the cookie-cutter templates. With headless, you can unleash your creativity, using any tech you fancy (and we really fancy Hydrogen from Shopify) to build a site that’s 100% your own—from quirky design elements to the latest features that keep customers hooked.

• Lightning-Fast Performance: Every second counts online. With headless, you’re not just speeding things up; you’re creating an experience that’s seamless and instant, keeping customers right where you want them.

• Seamless Omnichannel Experience: Today’s shoppers move between devices like it’s second nature. Headless lets you meet them wherever they are, with a unified brand experience—whether they're on a desktop, mobile, or even in-store.

• Scalability and Future-Proofing: Growth? Bring it on. Headless Shopify scales with you, ready to integrate the latest tech and grow as your brand does.

• Empowering Developers: Headless is a developer’s playground. With it, your devs can work their magic with tools they love, accelerating development and keeping innovation at the forefront.

Brands that are serious about standing out in a crowded market might turn to headless Shopify. It’s not just about keeping up with trends—it’s about setting them. By going headless, these brands are taking control of their digital experiences, delivering faster, more engaging interactions, and ensuring they’re ready for whatever the future brings.

In the following sections, we’ll dive into the top brands that have embraced headless Shopify, exploring how they’ve leveraged this powerful architecture to revolutionise their online presence.

1. Kotn: A Brand Driven by Purpose and Innovation

✧ Shopify Plus ✧ Sanity CMS

kotn.com →

Kotn is a Canadian fashion brand that stands out for its commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainable practices, focusing on high-quality essentials made from Egyptian cotton. Since its founding in 2015, Kotn has grown into a prominent name in conscious fashion, serving customers globally with a strong emphasis on social impact.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Fashion and Apparel

• Country: Canada (with a global customer base)

• Company Size: Small to Medium-sized Enterprise (SME)

• Founded: 2015

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Kotn’s transition to a headless Shopify setup has allowed them to create a seamless and highly responsive eCommerce experience. One of the standout features of their headless setup is the consolidation of two separate storefronts into one using Shopify’s Storefront API. This move not only simplified their operations but also enhanced the user experience by ensuring that site performance remains fast, even during high-traffic periods. By leveraging a headless architecture, Kotn has been able to fully customise their front-end experience, offering rich, dynamic product pages and a streamlined checkout process that aligns with their brand’s aesthetic and values.

Moreover, the flexibility of headless architecture has enabled Kotn to build custom modules, like a product review system that integrates smoothly with their design. This level of control and customisation was difficult to achieve with their previous setup, making headless Shopify a crucial part of their growth and user engagement strategy​. 

2. Lick: Revolutionising the Home Decor Experience with Headless Shopify

✧ Shopify Plus

lick.com →

Lick is a UK-based paint and home décor brand that has quickly gained popularity for its user-friendly approach to home improvement. The brand focuses on providing high-quality, eco-friendly paints and wallpapers, all while building a strong community around the DIY and interior design space. Launched during the pandemic, Lick has become a go-to for millennial decorators who value both aesthetics and sustainability.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Home Décor and Paint

• Country: United Kingdom

• Company Size: Small to Medium-sized Enterprise (SME)

• Founded: 2020

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Lick has leveraged headless Shopify to create a highly interactive and engaging online experience, which is essential for a brand that thrives on visual appeal and community engagement. A standout feature of Lick’s headless setup is their real-time colour consultation tool. This feature allows customers to upload photos of their rooms and see how different Lick paint colours would look in their space. The headless architecture enables this dynamic feature by decoupling the back-end functions from the front-end experience, allowing for faster load times and smoother user interactions. This tool, along with a seamlessly integrated content-rich platform, helps Lick engage customers in a way that’s both personal and highly effective, making it easier for them to make confident purchasing decisions online​

3. Boiler Room: Amplifying Global Music Culture with Headless Shopify

Boiler Room is a London-based music platform that has become a global phenomenon, known for its live-streamed DJ sets and performances from underground artists. The platform has grown from small club events to broadcasting from over 100 cities worldwide, making it a key player in the global music scene.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Music and Entertainment

• Country: United Kingdom (with a global audience)

• Company Size: Medium-sized Enterprise

• Founded: 2010

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Boiler Room's adoption of a headless Shopify setup has allowed them to create a dynamic and interactive eCommerce experience that mirrors the energy of their live events. A standout feature is their seamless integration of media-rich content—from live streams to exclusive merchandise drops—into a unified online experience. This setup enables Boiler Room to deliver high-quality video content alongside a fast and responsive online store, providing fans with an immersive experience that keeps them engaged and encourages merchandise sales. This integration is key for a brand that thrives on the real-time engagement and cultural impact of its events​.

4. Powersheds: Redefining the Shed Market with Headless Shopify

✧ Shopify Plus ✧ Sanity CMS ✧ Hydrogen

powersheds.com →

Powersheds is a UK-based leader in the garden shed market, renowned for its high-quality craftsmanship and innovative approach. Since its inception, the brand has carved out a niche by combining durable materials with thoughtful design, offering customers products that elevate outdoor spaces. Known for their commitment to quality and their ambitious plans for growth, Powersheds required a digital platform that could support their evolving needs and connect with their expanding customer base.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Garden Sheds and Outdoor Structures

• Country: United Kingdom

• Company Size: Medium-sized Enterprise

• Founded: 2019

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Powersheds’ transition to a headless Shopify architecture has enabled them to create a seamless and fast-loading eCommerce experience, tailored specifically to their product offerings and customer journey. One standout feature of their setup is the integration of custom configurators, allowing customers to select shed sizes, finishes, and other details in real-time. This enhanced user experience not only simplifies the buying process but also makes it easier for customers to visualise and customise their perfect garden shed.

Leveraging Shopify's Hydrogen framework and Sanity CMS, Powersheds has also implemented a content-rich platform that shares tips, ideas, and inspiration for garden transformations. This feature has become an integral part of their customer engagement strategy, positioning them not just as a shed retailer, but as an authority in outdoor lifestyle solutions. With headless Shopify, Powersheds is able to manage high-traffic periods smoothly, such as during seasonal sales, ensuring a responsive and uninterrupted shopping experience.

By adopting headless technology, Powersheds is set up for scalability and future-proofing, allowing them to expand their product range and integrate new tools and features as their business grows. This approach empowers them to continually innovate and maintain their reputation as a leading player in the garden shed industry.

Check out the full Case Study →

5. Patta: Elevating Streetwear with Headless Shopify

Patta is a streetwear brand based in Amsterdam, known for its strong roots in hip-hop culture and its influence in the global streetwear scene. The brand has collaborated with major names like Nike and Tommy Hilfiger, cementing its status as a cultural icon in the fashion world.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Fashion and Streetwear

• Country: Netherlands (serving a global market)

• Company Size: Medium-sized Enterprise

• Founded: 2004

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Patta’s adoption of a headless Shopify setup, particularly using Shopify's Hydrogen framework, has been instrumental in creating a highly dynamic and responsive online shopping experience. One of the standout features of their headless setup is the seamless integration of high-quality multimedia content, such as animations, HD videos, and rich imagery, which is crucial for a brand deeply embedded in visual culture.

The headless architecture ensures that these media-heavy elements do not compromise site performance, even during high-traffic periods like major product drops. During their collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, Patta’s website was able to handle over 15,000 simultaneous visitors with zero performance issues, thanks to the streamlined capabilities provided by Hydrogen. This setup not only supports the brand’s unique visual identity but also delivers a smooth and fast shopping experience that keeps customers engaged and ready to convert.

This innovative use of headless technology has allowed Patta to maintain its cutting-edge reputation in the streetwear community while ensuring their online presence is as influential and impactful as their brand collaborations​

6. Civilist: Bringing Berlin's Skate Culture Online with Headless Shopify

Civilist is a Berlin-based streetwear and skate brand that has become a staple in the city's creative and skateboarding communities. Established in 2009, the brand is known for its unique blend of art, culture, and skateboarding, reflected in both its physical store in Berlin-Mitte and its curated line of clothing and accessories.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Streetwear and Skateboarding

• Country: Germany

• Company Size: Small Enterprise

• Founded: 2009

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Civilist’s headless Shopify setup allows the brand to maintain its strong cultural identity while offering a seamless and highly customisable online shopping experience. The headless architecture empowers Civilist to integrate a variety of interactive and multimedia elements into their online store without compromising on performance. This setup enables faster load times, which is critical for maintaining user engagement, especially during product drops that attract high traffic.

A significant advantage of their headless setup is the ability to frequently update their site with new content, reflecting the ever-changing nature of street culture. Whether it’s launching a new collaboration or hosting an online exhibition, Civilist can quickly adapt their storefront to keep it fresh and aligned with the latest trends, ensuring that their digital presence remains as vibrant and dynamic as their Berlin store​.

7. MAAP: Elevating Cycling Apparel with Headless Shopify

MAAP is a high-performance cycling apparel brand based in Australia, renowned for its commitment to innovation, style, and sustainability. Since its founding in 2014, MAAP has become a significant player in the global cycling industry, known for its premium products that cater to both professional athletes and everyday cyclists.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Cycling Apparel

• Country: Australia (serving a global market)

• Company Size: Medium-sized Enterprise

• Founded: 2014

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

MAAP’s adoption of a headless Shopify architecture has allowed the brand to deliver a seamless and highly responsive eCommerce experience across multiple regions. A standout feature of their setup is the integration of omnichannel strategies that provide a consistent and engaging customer journey, whether online or offline. Leveraging Shopify’s Hydrogen framework, MAAP has created a website that offers fast load times and a highly customisable front-end, enhancing the user experience across devices and regions.

Their headless setup also supports sophisticated integrations with third-party tools like Klaviyo, enabling advanced segmentation and personalised communication strategies that boost customer loyalty and retention. This integrated approach has been crucial for MAAP as it continues to expand its global presence, allowing the brand to effectively manage different market requirements and provide tailored experiences for customers in various regions​.

8. Boretti: Bringing Italian Culinary Passion Online with Headless Shopify

Boretti is an Italian brand known for its high-end kitchen appliances, which are deeply inspired by the rich culinary traditions of Italy. From sleek ovens to professional-grade outdoor grills, Boretti has become synonymous with bringing the essence of Italian cooking into homes across the globe.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Kitchen Appliances and Home Goods

• Country: Italy (serving a global market)

• Company Size: Medium-sized Enterprise

• Founded: 1995

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Boretti’s transition to a headless Shopify architecture was crucial in supporting their ambitious international expansion and delivering a seamless, immersive shopping experience tailored to a global audience. A key feature of this setup is the platform's ability to offer a multilingual and region-specific shopping experience, supporting multiple languages while adapting to local customer preferences across different countries.

Additionally, Boretti’s headless setup integrates a powerful content management system that allows for efficient content updates and management across various markets without sacrificing performance. This setup ensures that the site maintains high speed and responsiveness, even with rich, immersive content that showcases their products in detail. This ability to deliver a consistent, high-quality user experience, regardless of the user’s location, is a testament to the flexibility and scalability of their headless Shopify platform​

9. Bols: Elevating the Cocktail Experience with Headless Shopify

Bols is a historic Dutch brand, established in 1575, and is renowned globally for its high-quality spirits, including vodkas, gins, and liqueurs. As the world’s oldest distilled spirits brand, Bols has remained at the forefront of innovation, continually adapting to new market demands and consumer preferences.

Quick Facts

• Industry: Food and Beverage (Alcoholic Beverages)

• Country: Netherlands (with a global presence)

• Company Size: Medium to Large-sized Enterprise

• Founded: 1575

Unique Feature Enabled by Headless Setup

Bols transitioned to a headless Shopify setup to support its global expansion, particularly focusing on the U.S. market. The key feature of their headless architecture is the ability to deliver a content-rich, flexible eCommerce experience. This setup allows Bols to integrate engaging storytelling elements into their online store, seamlessly blending product information with lifestyle content. The flexibility of their headless setup enables Bols to quickly update and manage their site, ensuring that they can launch new campaigns and products efficiently while maintaining high performance and fast load times.

This approach has significantly enhanced Bols' ability to connect with a diverse global audience, offering a tailored shopping experience that aligns with their rich heritage and commitment to quality​

Conclusion: Ready to Go Headless with Shopify?

The eCommerce landscape has evolved, and with it, the case for going headless is stronger than ever. While early adopters may have faced challenges—and some brands went headless before it was even necessary—the technology has matured, and the costs are more manageable. Now, it’s the brands embracing headless Shopify that are setting themselves apart with rich storytelling and dynamic, unique experiences.

If you’re ready to move beyond the basics and create a digital space that’s engaging, flexible, and distinctly yours, this is the perfect time to explore headless Shopify. Get in touch with us at Say Yes, and let’s see how we can help you bring your vision to life in a way that’s as bold as your brand.