6 Shopify Hydrogen Examples That Leverage Headless Architecture

As a React-based framework, Hydrogen offers brands the flexibility and speed needed to build bespoke online stores that push the boundaries of what's possible. Its appeal lies in the comprehensive control it provides that allows for flexibility of customizations and seamless integration with up-to-date web technologies. This results in dynamic, responsive shopping experiences that not only draw in customers but also keep them coming back.

Brands often opt for Hydrogen because it simplifies complex development challenges and supports scalable, high-performance storefronts that can adapt to evolving market demands. Whether that’s enhancing server-side rendering, better data control, fine-tuning user interactions, or significant cost savings due to free deployment on Oxygen, Hydrogen is equipped to handle it all. This enables brands to set new standards in the eCommerce domain.

Many brands might wonder how they can build a successful headless Hydrogen eCommerce store.

In this article, we showcase a selection of top Shopify Hydrogen sites that have effectively utilized this modern framework to elevate their online presence. These headless Shopify examples might be a great source of inspiration because each story highlights the unique potential of the Hydrogen framework.

Manors is carving a niche in the golf apparel market from its base in London, England. Spearheaded by founder Jojo Regan, Manors merges the worlds of high fashion and golf that appeal to modern golf enthusiasts who value fashion as much as performance.

URL: https://manorsgolf.com

Headcount: <10

Headquarters: London

Instagram: @manorsgolf

Key Points:

• The Manors website reflects the brand’s commitment to quality and aesthetic appeal.
• With sharp art direction and high-quality imagery, the site immerses visitors in a visually rich experience.
• Manors leverages immersive videos that work quite smoothly.
• Great and subtle micro-animations that improve the experience (hover on the menu bar and also inside the sidebar).
• Their product display page (PDP) is not just a product head, but there are also many content blocks, like inspirational gallery, product features, product details, and complete the look, to upsell.
• I really like the sticky bar with “Add to bag” that makes it super easy to make a purchase no matter where you are on the PDP.
• Manors doesn’t just sell products; they tell stories. The site’s journal section is a testament to this, blending high-resolution imagery with compelling narratives that share stories and interviews to offer a window into the golfing lifestyle that the brand embodies.

Good American burst onto the scene with a clear mission: to provide fashion that fits and celebrates a diverse range of bodies. Founded in Los Angeles by Emma Grede and reality TV star Khloe Kardashian, the brand made headlines by earning $1 million on its first day of business in 2016. Good American is a pioneer in inclusive fashion, ensuring that every piece they design is available in a comprehensive range of sizes..

URL: https://goodamerican.com
Headquarters: Los Angeles, USA
Headcount: 390
Instagram: @goodamerican

Key Points:

• Good American's website strongly reflects its commitment to inclusivity by offering a wide range of sizes that range from 00 to 30. This focus on inclusivity is central to the brand's identity and appeal.
• The product listing page (PLP) showcases products on different model sizes (0/8/16) to allow customers to see how items look on a range of body types
• A unique feature is the ability to change the view from one image to three on the product tile in the PLP. This allows customers to see multiple angles and details of the product directly from the listing page.
• Each PDP is well-structured, providing not just product images but also various content blocks, like inspirational galleries, detailed product features, and styling suggestions. This approach not only informs but also inspires customers on how to style their purchases.
• Features like the sticky “Add to Bag” bar ensure that adding items to the cart is convenient from anywhere on the PDP, streamlining the shopping process.
• Good American effectively highlights out-of-stock and low-stock items to provide an additional incentive for customers to purchase when they see limited availability. The "notify me" feature allows shoppers to sign up for notifications when out-of-stock items are replenished to help capture future sales that might otherwise be missed.

Nour Hammour is a Parisian luxury brand that has become synonymous with sophisticated leather outerwear. Since its inception in a small Paris boutique in 2013, the brand has been embraced by fashion icons and celebrities, such as Kendall Jenner and Beyonce, who are drawn to its bold yet elegant designs. Nour Hammour stands out in the competitive fashion industry by focusing on high-quality craftsmanship and bespoke details in each piece.

URL: https://nour-hammour.com
Headquarters: Paris, France
Headcount: 12
Instagram: @nourhammour_paris

Key Points:

• The implementation of Shopify Hydrogen has markedly enhanced the site's experience, resulting in a 63% increase in conversion rate and a 128% increase in sales year-over-year.
• The project has been featured as one of the best Shopify Hydrogen implementations on https://hydrogen.shopify.dev

↑ Attention to animation details like navigation

• Powerful Sanity CMS allows for content translations and regionalization, real-time collaboration, scheduling and custom approval process, image cropping, and focal points.
• All products are synced from Shopify, making them readily available for use in various contexts, such as shoppable lookbooks, guides, posts, and campaign pages.

↑ The best interactions feel almost invisible

• The lookbook experience is exceptional, allowing users to scroll through campaign shots and add products to their bag without losing sight of the entire collection. This seamless integration ensures a cohesive and immersive shopping experience.
• The site features a comparison tool that allows users to view detailed product information for multiple items side by side to facilitate informed purchasing decisions.

Baboon to the Moon offers an exciting range of travel gear designed to be as adventurous and vibrant as its customers. Based in New York City, this brand is committed to making travel accessories that are not only practical and durable but also boast bold, colorful designs that stand out in any crowd. The company’s ethos is about adding fun and color to the world, and they ensure that each product reflects this spirited approach.

URL: https://baboontothemoon.com
Headquarters: NYC, USA
Headcount: 11
Instagram: @baboontothemoon

Key Points:

• The design is super playful and stands out with vibrant visuals that align perfectly with their mission "to make the world more colorful." This consistency reinforces the brand's identity and creates an engaging user experience.
• The menu features a great hover effect for product categories 👏 (could be a separate video).
• The PLP is clean and features various colorful CTAs.
• The PDP is exceptional, featuring a product gallery alongside a lifestyle video with the model. Different colors reflect unique creative directions in lifestyle photography.
• The section below provides detailed information about the front, backpack, and open views, making it very informative.
• Specifications for sizes, such as dimensions and volume, are clearly outlined with side views that make comparing different sizes easy.
• An always-visible sticky bar allows users to quickly add desired products to their cart.

Factor Bikes stands out in the high-performance cycling market with its commitment to innovation and quality. In 2009, Factor took its first step into the cycling industry when John Bailey set his team a new challenge: to build a bike. Factor Bikes has established itself as a leader in creating world-class road, gravel, and time-trial bikes. The company prides itself on meticulous craftsmanship, aerodynamics, and rigorous testing to ensure superior quality and performance.

URL: https://factorbikes.com
Headquarters: United Kingdom
Headcount: 30
Instagram: @factorbikes

Key Points:

• The homepage highlights the most iconic model in the first section but below there is clear distinction into different product categories (gravel, mountain, triathlon, aero), and then they highlight editorial content, like blog posts.
• The PDP looks good with big images in a full-width gallery and the ability to configure the bike to your specifications.
• As we scroll, a sticky navigation bar remains attached to the PDP to provide quick access to sections like an overview, benefits, construction details, features, and specifications.
• At the very bottom of the PDP, different bike packages and setups are displayed. Customers can choose to buy just the frame or opt for add-ons, like wheels, a power meter, or upgraded colors.

↑ I really like this section. Factor bikes are for mostly advanced cyclists, and believe me, those numbers are super important.

↑ Great to see such collaborations between fashion & cycle brands.

• There is a Prisma Studio, a custom-paint configurator, which is a massive feature because it allows you to create a unique bike that you won't see anywhere else. What's more precious than the envious look on your friend's face? 😅

↑ Custom-paint configurator: Prisma Studio

• One minor issue is that the cost of the extra paint isn't shown initially. Only after selecting the color do you see the "package" selection step with an extra $500 fee. Integrating this step directly into the configuration viewport would streamline the process by eliminating the need to navigate to a different step.
• There is also a well-executed "Find a Retailer" feature that guides you to the nearest shop to check out the bikes in person and talk with professionals. This is particularly valuable when considering a $10,000 bike purchase because it provides additional touchpoints, like ensuring the frame size is right. Many advanced cyclists do "a fitting" and are familiar with the sizes that ensure a comfortable ride.

Founded in 2019 by designer and aesthete Tremaine Emory, each Denim Tears collection tells a story to showcase what the brand’s founder calls the African Diaspora.

URL: https://denimtears.com
Headquarters: Los Angeles
Headcount: <10
Instagram: @denimtears

Key Points:

• On the very first screen, you can tell this site is unique because of the small details like a mouse-follow animation that makes you go “inside” the website.
• The initial viewport is playful and features an art frame combined with illustrations, product images, and a video frame that makes you click.
• As you start scrolling, you expect to become more immersed but nothing happens, which feels a bit off.
• The PLP is minimalistic, showing no product names, prices, or additional photos in the gallery. Products take center stage with names and prices appearing only on hover.
• The PDP is very basic with just a couple of product photos. It lacks inspirational photography with models, making the PDP less engaging than it could be.

Through these diverse showcases, it's clear that Shopify Hydrogen is already a mature solution for headless Shopify builds. Each brand highlighted here, from the innovative approach of Manors in golf apparel to the culturally rich narratives of Denim Tears, illustrates the flexibility and capability of Hydrogen to support unique business needs and creative visions.

Hydrogen’s ability to integrate seamlessly with various design elements and functionalities enables brands to deliver not just products but complete experiences tailored to their audiences. Whether it’s Factor Bikes’ custom configurator that enhances the personal connection to their cycles or Good American’s inclusive sizing feature that fosters a more welcoming shopping environment, Hydrogen powers these features with efficiency and scale.

As technology continues to advance and consumer expectations evolve, the role of platforms like Shopify Hydrogen will become increasingly crucial. For brands looking to lead, innovate, and captivate, the above examples of Hydrogen-powered eCommerce websites show that this platform can create high-performance online stores that stand out.

Contact us to discover how you can leverage Shopify Hydrogen to build a tailor-made, high-performance online store that stands out from the crowd.

Learn more about Shopify Hydrogen