When talking to fellow creatives, we often wonder: HOW DO THEY DO IT? To prevent Instagram stalking or doom-scrolling to figure out their secret sauces and success stories, we prefer to ask them face-to-face. Today: an unfiltered conversation with HELEEN SPRUIJT, FOUNDER of NEEVE. Cover image: courtesy of Neeve
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“Not your average t-shirt,” Neeve’s website states. After endless hunts for the perfect wardrobe staples, Heleen Spruijt, co-founder of Neeve, gave up. Or, it’s better to say that she paused her hunt but only to devote her time to something that would make these endless searches belong to the past. In 2019, she started Neeve to bring sustainable wardrobe essentials that would last and stand the test of time.
THE SHIFT THAT LED TO NEEVE
For Spruijt, the inspiration for Neeve goes back to her adventurous childhood summers at the Loosdrechtse Plassen, where she and her siblings roamed freely on the water. “Those holidays instilled an adventurous spirit in me, which I cherish to this day and hope to inspire in my children,” she reflects. That spirit of exploration and purpose has driven her from television production to the fashion industry. After years of working on projects that took her around the globe and into the lives of countless people, she found herself craving a new direction. “In my late thirties, I realized my passions had shifted. Life was no longer just about me; I now had my children to consider,” she shares. What followed was the desire to build something lasting, a business that was both an expression of her creativity and a solution to her own needs—a line of well-crafted, thoughtfully made essentials.
PERFECTING STAPLES
Neeve’s beginnings were simple but impactful. “We started with a lineup of seven T-shirts in seven colors,” Spruijt recalls. The brand has since evolved, focusing on perfecting staples—tees, long-sleeves, sweaters—that bring ease and a touch of luxury to the wearer’s everyday wardrobe. “At one point, I ventured into designing an entire wardrobe… but I soon realized that customers come to Neeve for timeless essentials.” This commitment to creating high-quality staples has shaped Neeve’s identity, giving consumers pieces that feel as good as they look.
At the heart of Spruijt’s creative process is the fabric itself. “When I encounter a material that captivates me, I start imagining its potential,” she explains. Inspiration comes everywhere—street style, travel, even the soft morning light. Her latest favorite? The Blake sweater, which she describes as a perfect fusion of comfort and style with a subtle twist in its sleeves.
FUTURE-PROOF
Beyond aesthetics, Neeve is driven by a deep commitment to sustainability. 85-90% of the collection is GOTS-certified, reflecting the brand’s dedication to environmentally responsible materials like organic cotton and Lenzing’s Modal™. “We work with factories in Portugal that follow strict EU regulations, using closed water loop systems and renewable energy,” Spruijt proudly shares, “to achieve a future-proof strategy.”
CIRCULARITY OVER DISPOSABILITY
Spruijt envisions a fashion industry that values quality and circularity over disposability. As the Netherlands gears up to implement an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law in 2025, she believes brands will be encouraged to rethink their role in a sustainable future. “Brands need to show consumers that investing in well-made clothing contributes to a more sustainable future,” she insists.
For Spruijt, Neeve is about more than staying relevant—it’s about making an impact. “Knowing that we can inspire others to choose quality and sustainability over fast fashion makes the work we do very motivating,” she says with resilience. In a world of fleeting micro-trends, Neeve is here to stay.
