Blum How To Setup Product Siblings

Theme: Blum · Section type: Theme setting and Product details block

Product siblings (called Product variations in the theme editor) link separate products, such as the same top in three colors, so customers can switch between them on the product page. Each sibling keeps its own media, description, and sections, while customers see them as options of one product.

Note: Siblings show in the Product details section and in Quick shop. Each sibling must be its own product in your Shopify admin.

What you can do

• Create the metaobject that describes a sibling
• Create the product metafield that holds the siblings
• Link the siblings on each product
• Turn on product variations in the theme
• See what customers see
• Change the Product variations settings
• Fix common problems

Create the metaobject that describes a sibling

1. In the Shopify admin, go to Settings > Custom data.
2. Under Metaobjects, click Add definition.
3. Enter a name, for example "Color siblings".
4. Add these fields, with exactly these keys:
5. • Single line text, key single_line_text: the name customers see, for example "Navy".
   • Product, key product: the product this sibling opens.
   • Color, key color: the swatch color. You need it only for the Color selector style.
5. Click Save.

Caution: The theme reads the fields by their keys. If a key is different, the sibling doesn't show its name, product, or color.

Create the product metafield that holds the siblings

1. In the Shopify admin, go to Settings > Custom data > Products.
2. Click Add definition.
3. Enter a name, for example "Color siblings". Note the namespace and key, for example custom.color_siblings.
4. For the type, select Metaobject, then select the metaobject you created.
5. Select List of entries.
6. Click Save.

Link the siblings on each product

1. In the Shopify admin, open a product that has siblings.
2. Under Metafields, click the siblings metafield.
3. Add one entry for each sibling, including the product itself. For each entry, enter the name, select the product, and pick a color if you use the Color style.
4. Click Save.
5. Repeat for every sibling product. Use the same entries in the same order on each of them.

Tip: Add the current product to its own list. The theme highlights it as the selected option and shows its name next to the option label.

Turn on product variations in the theme

1. In the theme editor, click Theme settings > Product information.
2. Under Product variations, enter the Product variations metafield, for example custom.color_siblings.
3. Choose a Variation selector style: Product images, Color, or Buttons.
4. Open the product template, and under Product details, click Add block > Variations.
5. Enter an Option name, for example "Color".
6. Optional: to show siblings in Quick shop, click Theme settings > Quick shop, and under Variations, enter an Option name.
7. Click Save.

What customers see

• Product page: the option name and the selected sibling's name appear above a row of options. The selected product is highlighted.
• Product images style: each option shows the linked product's featured image. If a product has no image, the option shows its name instead.
• Color style: each option is a swatch in the color from the metaobject entry.
• Buttons style: each option is a button with the sibling's name, or the product title if the name is empty.
• Switching: when customers click an option, the product details change to that product without a full page reload, and the page address changes to the new product. In Quick shop, the popup changes to the new product.

Settings reference

Theme settings > Product information > Product variations

Variations block settings (Product details section)

Theme settings > Quick shop > Variations

Troubleshooting

The siblings don't appear on the product page.
Check that the product template has a Variations block, that Product variations metafield matches the metafield's namespace and key, and that the product has entries in that metafield.

The swatches are empty with the Color style.
The metaobject needs a Color field with the key color, and each entry needs a color.

An option shows text instead of an image.
With Product images, the option shows the linked product's featured image. Add an image to that product.

The sibling list is different on each product.
Each product has its own metafield entries. Add the same siblings, in the same order, to every product in the group.

Related articles

• Blum Product Template
• Blum Product Card
• Blum Theme Settings

Updated on: 23/10/2026