Standard Issue
The
Project
Standard Issue doesn’t chase trends, they knit against them. For over four decades, Standard Issue has stayed true to its purpose, creating considered knitwear that endures. Built on a foundation of slow fashion and circular design, the brand continues to invest in local production, renewable fibres and limited runs to minimise impact. As their menswear range expanded and global demand grew, the need for a more agile, scalable and brand-aligned ecommerce solution became clear.
Together with the Overdose. New Zealand team, they reimagined their digital storefront through a strategic move to Shopify Advanced, supported by a complete UX/UI refresh and a simplified approach to managing international markets. The result is a streamlined, data-led experience that brings the Standard Issue values to life online, reflecting the same quiet confidence found in every garment. A platform built not just to sell, but to support meaningful growth. Circular thinking, meet complete commerce.
Integrations
As part of this project, Standard Issue worked with Overdose. to streamline its digital ecosystem and better support both internal operations and customer experience. The focus was on integrating Shopify Advanced with a proven set of ecommerce tools that aligned with the brand’s needs.
Boost Commerce was used to improve on-site search and merchandising, helping customers discover products faster while giving the team greater control to respond to trading moments.
Klaviyo enabled more targeted email and SMS marketing through automated, journey-based campaigns, enhancing engagement at key customer touchpoints.
To support richer interaction and brand trust, Yotpo was integrated for reviews, loyalty and user-generated content, adding depth to the customer experience.
Gorgias brought together customer service across email, chat and social, making it easier for the team to manage enquiries efficiently with the right context.
Collectively, these integrations have helped Standard Issue build a connected, scalable foundation that simplifies internal processes and meets evolving customer expectations.
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+ Solutions
Simplifying Global Operations
Managing separate Shopify Plus storefronts for different regions was placing a growing strain on internal workflows. The cost and complexity of maintaining them was holding the business back from scaling efficiently.
Transitioning to Shopify Advanced and adopting Shopify Markets helped consolidate regional stores into a single environment. This not only reduced licensing costs but also gave the team more control to localise content, currency and experiences without duplicating effort.
Representing Brand Quality Online
The previous site didn’t reflect the craftsmanship or sustainability values that sit at the heart of the Standard Issue brand. It also struggled to meet modern performance expectations across mobile and desktop.
A new design system was developed using Shopify 2.0, anchored in the brand’s visual identity. The modular UI approach allowed the team to scale new content easily and ensured the experience felt premium, consistent and fast.
Creating Flexibility Without Complexity
Legacy customisations had made the site difficult to update, limiting agility and slowing down trading improvements. The business needed a more sustainable way to evolve its digital offering.
A streamlined Shopify 2.0 theme was introduced, prioritising native features and performance. Customisation was used selectively to meet key business needs while keeping the backend experience clean and intuitive for the team.
UX/UI
The UX/UI phase of this project was grounded in helping Standard Issue bring its brand values and product stories to life through a more modern and intentional digital experience. From the outset, the design process focused on translating the tactile nature of knitwear into a clean, editorial interface that would resonate with both local and international customers.
A key consideration was how to express the craftsmanship behind the garments in a way that felt both premium and effortless. The team explored ways to balance brand storytelling with ecommerce best practice, ensuring that product imagery, fit detail and sustainability information were all easy to access without overwhelming the user.
One of the first areas addressed was mobile performance, given the significant share of mobile traffic. Layouts were restructured to prioritise speed and ease of use, while maintaining a strong visual presence. We introduced an updated design system using Shopify 2.0 that gave Standard Issue a flexible set of components to build content quickly and consistently.
The design also focused on reducing friction across key journeys, whether browsing collections, viewing product details or making a purchase. For example, subtle UX patterns like persistent size and stock messaging were introduced to provide clarity without interrupting the flow.
Throughout the process, the aim was not only to modernise the site’s visual language but also to give the internal team more autonomy to manage and evolve content. The result is an experience that feels more reflective of the brand today - confident, minimal and warm - while quietly driving commercial outcomes across both new and returning customers.
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