Thousand founder Gloria Hwang had never worn a helmet while traveling on her bike. She thought they looked a little clumsy – and also “I’m a serious biker” – driving to work.
But when a friend died in a bicycle accident, Gloria decided she could design a better helmet. “If you can make a helmet that people actually want to wear, you can help save lives,” she says.
This philosophy has always been at the heart of Gloria’s business. Even the name…Thousand-refers to the company’s mission to save 1,000 people’s lives on wheels.
Thousands of people passed this milestone last year. The company has a lifetime replacement policy, where it will send customers a new helmet for free if theirs is damaged in an accident. Thousand sent out its 1,000th replacement under the policy last year. “It was a really special moment in the company, knowing that every day we are accomplishing our mission,” says Gloria.
To do this, Gloria knew she had to design helmets that more people could wear. She then shares the design principles that helped her develop Thousand.
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5 design principles to guide your brand
![Gloria wearing a Mille helmet in front of a bridge](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/personal_photo-33-1000x600_1_480x480.png?v=1711407729)
To sell enough helmets to meet the goal of 1,000 replacements, Thousand had to expand the helmet market. “It’s not just about inviting people who currently wear helmets,” says Gloria. “The goal is, ultimately, to get people to wear a helmet for the first time.”
Here’s how she designed headsets for new users.
1. Don’t sacrifice style for safety
Gloria discovered that recreational riders didn’t necessarily want all the features of other helmets on the market. Above all, they want something functional and safe.
Gloria worked with an industrial designer to create a helmet that met safety standards, but relied on a more minimalist, retro-inspired design. “There is a way to elevate the style so that you are proud to wear the products,” says Gloria.
2. Give customers the ability to personalize
Gloria says customers have started choosing Thousand headsets over other brands because the products better fit their personalities. The company built on this by offering more customization options such as colors and monograms. “It’s all about this idea: ‘How can products help you express your personal style?’ “, explains Gloria.
3. Build in Convenience
Another problem for many helmet wearers is that they have to lug it around. There is often no safe way to leave a bicycle helmet with the bike.
This is why Thousand patented the PopLock. This is an in-helmet feature that allows riders to attach the helmet to a bike lock. Plus, if the headset is stolen, Thousand will replace it for free.
4. Make your products inclusive
![Un homme et une femme portant des casques Thousand discutant avec leurs vélos à l'extérieur<](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0070/7032/files/thousand-helmet-heritage2-lifestyle-coastal-blue-6_480x480.jpg?v=1711407852)
Part of expanding the headset market was designing a product that would appeal to everyone.
Gloria says Thousand has intentionally created more inclusive products, and not just by offering a wider range of colors. She says most small bike helmets don’t fit women because they weren’t designed for them. “Our size range really takes into account different head shapes and genders,” says Gloria.
5. Iterate, iterate, iterate
Gloria says it’s important for founders to be advocates for their customers, especially when working with manufacturers. Even though a design may be more arduous or complicated for a manufacturer, it will pay to promote the features you actually want.
Thousand often goes through many iterations to find a single piece of their product. “We’ll sample 10 different versions of a similar color to choose the final version we want,” says Gloria.
However, the final version may still change after customer feedback. For example, the popular Heritage helmet from Thousand is in its second version.
After finding success designing helmets, Thousand plans to use the same design principles to put its own spin on other cycling and travel accessories.
To hear more about how Thousand used design to make security products more accessible, listen Gloria’s full interview on Shopify Masters.