Can I create sub categories within a collection?

Store Design

Topic summary

Users are asking whether Shopify collections support sub-categories or nested groupings (e.g., organizing “Interchangeable Tile” products under sub-headings like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Summer).

Key Finding:
Shopify collections do not natively support sub-categories or nested structures.

Recommended Solutions:

  • Product Tags + Filters: Add tags (e.g., “Christmas”, “Summer”) to products and enable tag-based filtering in the theme customizer. Most themes support this without apps.

  • Manual Sub-Collections: Create separate collections for each sub-category and display them as visual blocks within the main collection page using a Collection List section.

  • Metafields for Custom Grouping: Use product metafields to assign categories (e.g., “Season”) and modify theme code to dynamically render sub-headings based on these values.

  • Third-Party Apps: Apps like “Boost Product Filter & Search” or “Smart Product Filter & Search” provide advanced filtering and visual navigation options.

Status: Multiple viable workarounds provided; implementation depends on technical comfort level and desired user experience.

Summarized with AI on October 24. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

I want to create sub headings/categories in a collection. What I want to do is in the Collection of Interchangeable Tile I want to have sub headings/categories like: Christmas, Valentine’s day, summer, etc. How do I do this? Is it even possible.

1 Like
2

@valerina13

can you please share the store url so that i can look into it and give you an exact solution. also this can be possible via some custom code.

thanks

3

I have created a Collection named ‘ Moms’ and under this collection/category I would like to have another category like Moms Health, Moms Fashion, Moms Food habits etc. Is that even possible

4

@valerina13,

Yes, you need to create a new collection template by renaming it as a sub-collection.liqiud and then you can assign products accordingly, and you can add it as sa sub-collection on main collection pages with the theme customizer.

if you need further assistance please let me know

5

HI Shahroz,

Thank for your headups, could you define ‘sub-collection.liqiud’ I am a newbe , need the steps .

Thanks

Regards

Basu

6

Hi @valerina13

Good question :+1:

By default, Shopify collections don’t support sub-categories (like nested folders). But there are a few reliable ways you can achieve what you’re looking for — having “Interchangeable Tile” as the main collection, and inside it, sub-headings like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Summer, etc.

Option 1: Use Tags as Sub-categories (Most common / no app needed)

  1. Go to your products in the Interchangeable Tile collection.
  2. Add product tags like: Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Summer.
  3. In your theme customizer (Navigation/Collection template), enable a tag filter sidebar (or dropdown filters).
  • Many Shopify themes (including Dawn, Flow, etc.) allow customers to filter a collection by tags or metafields.
  1. Rename the filter labels so they show as “Christmas”, “Valentine’s Day”, etc.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: This gives you sub-headings via filters, without making separate collections.

Option 2: Create Manual Sub-Collections and Show Them in Your Main Collection

  1. Create separate collections:
  • Collection: Interchangeable Tile – Christmas
  • Collection: Interchangeable Tile – Valentine’s Day
  • Collection: Interchangeable Tile – Summer
  1. Add products to these sub-collections.
  2. Inside your main Interchangeable Tile collection page, you can add Collection List Section that shows these sub-collections as blocks (with images, headings).

This gives you a visual “sub-category” layout inside your main collection page.

Option 3: Use Metafields for Custom Grouping

If you want more control than tags:

  1. Create a product metafield (e.g., Season or Occasion).
  2. Assign each product a value (Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Summer).
  3. In your theme, use code to group products in the collection page by this metafield, and render sub-headings dynamically.

:backhand_index_pointing_right: This requires theme editing, but looks very clean and professional.

Option 4: Use a Shopify App (Advanced filtering/navigation)

If you want a more visual mega-menu style inside collections, apps like:

  • Boost Product Filter & Search
  • Smart Product Filter & Search
    let you create advanced sub-category filters that act like headings.
1 Like