In this episode, we sit down with Hibiscus Heroes founder Sowmya Parameswaran to trace the personal and philosophical journey behind one of India’s most thoughtful plant-based clothing studios.

Sowmya shares her early years in Bangalore, her formative education at NIFT, and the experiences that shaped her understanding of craft, textiles, and responsibility. From documenting village crafts as a student to working in Auroville and later designing for global fashion houses in Europe, she reflects on what those worlds taught her and what they ultimately could not offer.

We talk about why she chose to step away from corporate fashion, the moment that clarified her direction, and how Hibiscus Heroes was built around a few non-negotiable pillars: people, planet, gratitude, and goodwill. Sowmya explains how witnessing textile pollution firsthand led her to rethink dyes, materials, and production systems, and why working with plants, regional knowledge, and slow processes became central to her practice.

This conversation focuses on origins, values, and intent. The thinking that comes before technique. In Part 1, we explore the human and ethical foundations of the brand, leaving the detailed discussion of plant-based dyeing methods and processes for Part 2.

For listeners interested in Indian textiles, plant-based clothing, ethical fashion, slow design, Auroville, or the realities of building a values-led creative practice, this is a reflective and deeply considered starting point.

Hibiscus Heroes garments are available in partnership with all mellow co.