Soil to Soil: The Chemistry of Conscious Fashion with Jiwya’s Aishwarya Lahariya

In this episode ofChai Break, we dive into the world ofregenerative fashionwithAishwarya Lahariya, textile scientist and founder ofJiwya, a 100% plant-based clothing brand based in India. Aishwarya shares how her background in chemistry, sustainability research, and passion for ethical design led her to create a fashion label rooted inzero-waste living,artisan empowerment, andsoil-to-soil systems. If you're curious about the real impact of your clothes—from water usage to labor ethics—and want to understand whattruly sustainable fashionlooks like, this episode is for you.

• The origins ofJiwya
• Aishwarya’s upbringing, chemistry background, and move from the U.S. to India to build her brand
• Why most cotton (even “organic”) is greenwashed—and what truly sustainable sourcing looks like
• What asoil-to-soil ecosystemreally is and how Jiwya’s designs biodegrade in just 60 days
• Thereality of fast fashion: mass production, clearance culture, and the “Oops we bought too much” problem
• Why ethical pricing still feels "expensive" and how to shift the consumer mindset
• The science behind plant-based dyes that use1/10ththe water of conventional methods—and return nutrients to the soil
• Empowering artisans and preserving textile crafts across 100+ clusters in India
• The challenge of scaling while staying true to values—and what it means tovote with your wallet
• Aishwarya’s thoughts on the future of fashion, theBuy Nowdocumentary, and her work with Nadhi, a women in climate collective