Originally reported and written in January 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

In 2002, Sowmya, the a student at NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology), was required to do an internship as part of the programme. She knew she wanted to use this time to explore her love for textiles and natural fabrics. But what she didn’t know was that this internship would shape the rest of her life in the years to come. 

The Bengaluru girl decided to do her internship at a studio in Auroville — the experimental township in Tamil Nadu that is a world in itself, promoting pillars of ecology and spirituality. 

“Stumbling upon the town of Auroville was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I fell in love with the project and was inspired by the city. There was an immediate connection,” she recalls in conversation with The Better India. 

Sowmya's 20-year-long journey in the fashion industry has culminated in a sustainable fashion brand Hibiscus Heroes, launched in 2020. Today, the brand is changing the norms of fashion and going a long way to prove that style does not need to be detrimental to the planet.

A fateful love affair with Auroville

Following her internship, Sowmya returned to Bengaluru for her final year of graduation. But something felt different. 

“The four months I'd spent in Auroville overwhelmed me due to the way in which the town functioned. We’re speaking of a time when sustainable practices were still revolutionary. But Auroville had already adopted these in areas of healthcare, education, architecture and........

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