04 • Hibiscus Heroes Part I - People, Planet, and the Work in Between

04 • Hibiscus Heroes Part I - People, Planet, and the Work in Between

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. [https://allmellow.co/collections/hibiscus-heroes]

03 • LAL Design Studio – Traditional Woodblock Printing

In this episode, we sit down with Bidisha Samantaray, the co-founder of LAL Design Studio, an independent block printing and textile studio based in Pondicherry. Bidisha shares the story of how Lal began as a mother daughter journey across India, grew into a space that celebrates traditional craft, and eventually became a studio creating small batch garments with original wood block prints. We talk about the roots of Indian craft, the realities of running a handmade clothing studio, and why slow processes still matter in a world built on speed. Bidisha explains how wooden blocks are carved, how colors are mixed, why certain regions specialize in particular techniques, and what it feels like to build a creative practice that stays intentionally small and hands on. This conversation explores the human side of craft and the challenges independent designers face today: staying true to heritage techniques, finding the right collaborators, keeping production local, and learning to be visible in an increasingly digital world. For anyone interested in Indian handloom, wood block printing, artisan textiles, ethical fashion, slow design, small batch clothing, or the creative life in India, this episode is a thoughtful and grounded listen. Find Lal Design Studio on Instagram at @laldesignstudio and discover their block printed shirts, kurtas, trousers, and home textiles — now available in partnership with all mellow co. and available at www.allmellow.co

02 • LaFabrica Craft – A Fold of Possibility

This week, mellow matters drifts south-west to the palm-lined streets of Panjim, Goa, where partners in life and craft Sonja & Sachin welcome us into their seafront apartment and slow-morning coffee ritual before the studio bell rings at ten. Their venture, LaFabrica Craft, began with a single sheet of paper and an audacious question: could everyday packaging be re-imagined as origami-like objects engineered for home-based makers? From fold-flat gift boxes to sculptural paper bags, Sachin’s architecture-meets-origami thinking, and Sonja’s eye for enduring textiles, now fuel a tiny team designing products that local women and part-time workers can assemble by hand. In our conversation we trace their winding paths: * Sachin’s Vipassana-sparked pivot from furniture prototyping to mindful material research. * Sonja’s journey from Canadian textile studios to a rainy-season epiphany in Goa and why “slow commerce” beats fast fashion. * The hard economics of biodegradable packaging in price-obsessed markets, and how a humble line of handcrafted stationery became La Fabrica’s sustainable bread-and-butter. * Dreams of a decentralized “paper factory” network that channels work—and dignity—into India’s vast self-help-group ecosystems. Along the way, they reflect on architects, the meditative pleasure of precise folds, and what it takes to build a values-led company with just a handful of trusted hands. Take a quiet pause with us to discover how paper—perhaps the simplest of materials—can open doors to community, creativity, and a gentler way of doing business. Check out the links below for the key elements mentioned in the episode: * Vipassana meditation courses – dhamma.org https://www.dhamma.org/ [https://www.dhamma.org/] dhamma.org [https://www.dhamma.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * La Fábrica – Ricardo Bofill’s converted cement-factory studio https://www.bofill.com/la-fabrica/ Bofill Taller de Arquitectura [https://www.bofill.com/la-fabrica/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Anganwadi centres (Integrated Child Development Services, India) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anganwadi Wikipedia [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anganwadi?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Kudumbashree – Kerala State Poverty-Eradication & Women’s Self-Help Mission https://www.kudumbashree.org/ kudumbashree.org [https://www.kudumbashree.org/pages/522?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Radha Pandey – handmade-paper artist & bookbinder https://www.radhapandey.com/ radha-pandey [https://www.radhapandey.com/paper?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Shigeru Ban’s Vasarely Pavilion (paper-tube architecture, Provence, France) https://shigerubanarchitects.com/works/exhibitions/vasarely-pavilion/ Shigeru Ban [https://shigerubanarchitects.com/works/exhibitions/vasarely-pavilion/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Unspoken Monochrome – visual-poetry sketchbook by Sach Gangadharan (LAFA) https://www.lafa.co.in/product-page/unspoken-monochrome-visual-poetry-sketch-book LAFA Design Lab [https://www.lafa.co.in/product-page/unspoken-monochrome-visual-poetry-sketch-book?srsltid=AfmBOop55TEiVgEDjbTPCfPve8g_LQ-b7mQy2ObRqwKMlLq6YNVwgjNV&utm_source=chatgpt.com] * LaFabrica Craft – biodegradable packaging & paper-goods studio (Goa) https://www.lafabricacraft.com/ To learn more about our work at all mellow co., visit us at:⁠www.allmellow.co⁠ [http://www.allmellow.co/]

01 • Iba Mallai – Weaving Tradition

In our very first episode of mellow matters, we travel to the quiet hills of Meghalaya, India, to meet Iba Mallai—the thoughtful founder of the women-led collective behind our handmade Eri silk shawls.  Iba shares how she left a busy, unfulfilling corporate job in Bangalore and returned home to Umden, known as the Eri Silk Village. There, she reconnected with the traditional art of weaving and built a thriving community around it.  Together, we explore the unique story of Eri silk. often called peace silk because it’s harvested without harming the silkworms. You’ll hear how this beautiful fabric is hand-spun from castor-fed silkworms, naturally dyed with local plants, and woven into soft, timeless shawls by skilled women artisans.  Along the way, Iba speaks about the strength of her community, the matrilineal culture of Meghalaya, and why small, sustainable fashion matters, showing how mindful craftsmanship can support people and protect the earth.  Take a quiet moment with us to celebrate slow living, sustainability, and the gentle power of ethical fashion.  To learn more about Eri silk and our work, visit: www.allmellow.co [http://www.allmellow.co/]