ethical slow fashion
Ethically produced vegan handbags & accessories handmade in New Zealand from the finest cruelty free and plant based materials
Plus a small and carefully curated range of complimentary ethical brands
Sustainability & Transparency
Minimising our impact on the environment is really important to us. Through conscious design, low waste production, ethical sourcing and quality we can stand by, we aim to continually do better
AMI Hub Presents
Our founder and designer Suzie talks about what makes Velvet Heartbeat special
100% Vegan
All fabrics and components are 100% vegan as we don't believe any animal should suffer for any reason, particularly fashion.
Plant Based
We are privileged to work with some of the world's most innovative plant based leather alternatives so you won't need to compromise your sustainability or ethical values
Conscious
We try to be as sustainable and avoid waste as much as possible and are constantly looking for ways to reduce our impact on the planet, people and the environment.
Made in New Zealand
All our products are lovingly made in our sunny Auckland studio by a small team of talented and happy people paid above the living wage
Let customers speak for us
from 42 reviewsI love these tote bags. Not too big or too small. Great!
Love my Sofia bag, the corn leather is amazing quality, and it’s a perfect size. Thank you for making such a lovely, ethical product.
Just what I wanted (I actually swapped to a Sevigny after this purchase by contacting VH Direct - fits my headphones perfectly and is very well made.
They are just beautiful! I love the Pinatex material, colours and the embossing of the Velvet Heartbeat logo. Thank you X
The socks were gorgeous thank you! Little fluffy cats! Perfect for my grand daughter. XX
I’m so happy with my bag. The fabric is so soft and strong. It easily fits all my essentials. I’m thrilled 😊
I purchased this purse because I wanted to buy from a company that uses plant based textiles that do not harm animals or the environment, I can't say everything I own follows this but I at least want to start taking steps in this direction. Velvet Heartbeat shows so much transparency with where the fabrics are sourced and the companies history I really admire this. With my purse I received a handwritten note which was super nice! I was a little worried after purchasing the bag that maybe I should've ordered the larger size that maybe my prescription sunglasses case would not fit as it is a bit bulky but indeed it does. All my day to day necessities fit. The floral pocket on the inside is perfect for my lip gloss/chapstick. The bag color is starting to get more of a worn in two tone effect with use which I love! I love the timeless look of this bag, thank you!
I love this bag. Looks so expensive and like leather. It's great being able to be ethical and fashionable when i wear it 💫💫
Love my pink pineapple leather bag🍍 Now I have a corn leather and a pineapple one and I’m keen to get the whole plant based leather collection. They are both wearing really well and I love the scrap fabric interior.(It’s a treat to peek inside for the first time to see which fabric your bag has 😻 ) Love that they’re handmade in New Zealand. Super proud to wear them and I’m very impressed with the quality - thank you so much for another awesome bag!
I haven’t bought myself a purse since 2019. I’ve been on the hunt for years for something minimal and lightweight, yet stylish and elegant. Something I can dress up for date night or wear casually when I’m walking around. This purse does exactly that for me. This Caramel color is so beautiful, when I saw it, I knew it I had to have it. I bought this as birthday gift to myself and I love it! Been using it everyday since the day I bought it. So thankful I found Velvet Heartbeat and happy that they handcraft these amazing vegan designs. Excellent customer service, so easy to contact and speak with! Thank you so much!
The bag and purse were perfect. The highest quality and beautifully made. Purchasing was easy and communication was brilliant.
Our package arrived quickly and was stunningly presented.
All in all this was a wonderful experience from start to finish. Thank you
I bought the plus size Reese pouch in gingerbread tan to go in my Sofia espresso bag to hold all my little bits and pieces and it is absolutely perfect! The material is so soft and supple, the colour is beautiful, it has not marked at all and the small zipped pocket inside is such a nice little bonus. High quality and super useful!
I bought the Sofia bag in espresso, queen size about 9 months ago and am so impressed with the quality and how well it has held up! The colour is gorgeous, the adjustable strap is perfect, all the details and the material just feel and look like quality, and I love the inside pocket! I don't think I'll need to replace it for a long time but when I do I'll be coming back to Velvet Heartbeat for sure!
I absolutely love my new bag, it’s just the right size so you don’t stash too much “stuff” and beautifully made. Thank you so much. Love being able to shop local for vegan handmade products.
I have the Sofia in obsidian and it is by far the best bag I have ever owned. As a long time vegan I have tried a lot of vegan bags and this one exceeds any others by a mile. The corn leather is so soft and supple but it is so hard wearing. I have had my bag for nearly a year and it still looks brand new. It doesn't mark or scratch. It is also lovely and light, I can happily wear it cross body without ever getting a sore shoulder. I love the floral fabric lining and the handy sip pocket. It is also the perfect size for day to day use. Buy this bag, you won't regret it!