About us

Heart of Gold is an individually run, woman-owned "seed" business (pun on our business stage being at "seed" intended - IYKYK).

Operated from the beautiful city of Amsterdam, Heart of Gold aims to change the souvenir industry by impacting people with the power of nature, circularity, and letting things be.

I am Raphaëlle, a French national who moved to Amsterdam in 2015 and fell madly in love with the city, despite its sometimes challenging weather.

Over the years, I have witnessed the many struggles, initiatives, and actions the city has taken around tourism. I’ve also seen the reality of how it has led to an overload of mass-produced trinkets and souvenirs that I felel, aside from representing a landmark or internationally recognized symbol of the city or country, lack substance. 

Furthermore, with the cost of living continually rising, it appeared to me that there were ultimately limited affordable options. This experience, combined with my personal reflection and commitment to building and advocating for a more sustainable world and de-growth, inspired Heart of Gold.

A souvenir is a physical medium that engages people in creating and connecting to memories, much like how communication gives form and reality to our inner emotions and world. But what if we could take it a step further, physically connecting it to a place, not just ideas? And beyond that—enable it to live year after year, along cycles that create special moments and support reminiscing.

Some people have the ability to remember and keep things alive and clear within themselves. Others, like me, remember by building attachment and needing tangible support where they can transfer emotions, whether of a very specific time and event, or from a more generic feeling. This is for these people that we created Heart of Gold.

Whether you (can) grow the seeds or not, you can also just hold on to them as a token and reminder. Remember that the seeds, by essence, hold all of life’s potential—whether we express it or not, the flower is within.

Now, we hope we have inspired you to take the journey with us, and build the future of souvenirs, one seed at a time.

Let us know if you have comments, praise, stories, or anything else you want to share at h0g.amsterdam@gmail.com, or visit and DM us via our Instagram account. We can't wait to hear from you. 💛