Heleen van
Zantvoort.

Based in Rotterdam, Heleen van Zantvoort is a designer driven by a simple yet powerful belief: objects should not be judged by their age or condition, but by their potential. Growing up, she learned to look beyond appearances and focus on form, design, and materials. Rather than replacing things, she was encouraged to imagine how they could be transformed.

This perspective became the foundation of her creative practice. After moving to Amsterdam, Heleen was struck by the large amount of furniture and materials discarded on the streets. While many saw waste, she saw opportunity. Inspired by the hidden possibilities within these forgotten objects, she began exploring ways to extend their life through design and craftsmanship.

Through VANZAN, Heleen creates bags, accessories, and interior objects using reclaimed materials, including discarded advertising banners and other industrial leftovers. Each piece is carefully handcrafted and carries the unique textures, marks, and stories of its previous life. Her work demonstrates that sustainability and aesthetics can go hand in hand, transforming waste into objects that are both practical and visually distinctive.

Beyond the products themselves, Heleen’s work encourages a shift in perspective. She invites people to see value where others see waste and to embrace a more thoughtful relationship with the things they own. By combining creativity, resourcefulness, and craftsmanship, she proves that design can play an important role in building a more circular future.

At ArtCycle, Heleen van Zantvoort represents the spirit of transformation and possibility—showing how discarded materials can become treasured objects and how a different way of seeing can inspire a more sustainable world.