Ponda launches branded merchandise collection with Imperial College London collaboration

British biomaterials company Ponda has launched Wear the Wetland, a customisable clothing collection designed to connect corporate merchandise with wetland restoration, with Imperial College London among the first organisations to adopt its materials.

The Bristol-based company’s first collection comprises three gilets, named Otter, Heron and Mallard, insulated with BioPuff, Ponda's plant-based filling made from bulrushes grown on regenerated British and European wetlands. Organisations can personalise garments with embroidered logos, with the first batch scheduled for delivery in autumn 2027.

Imperial College London’s collaboration includes a Mallard gilet and Fern cap, bringing Ponda’s materials into the university’s branded clothing range. The partnership also reflects the founders’ connection to the institution, where they first met and studied.

Ponda said the initiative aims to create demand for bulrushes cultivated on rewetted land, providing farmers with additional income through paludiculture, the practice of farming crops on wetland areas.

The collection uses a batch production model, with organisations reserving allocations in advance so manufacturing can be aligned with seasonal harvests and committed orders.

In a statement, Ponda co-founder and CEO, Julian Ellis-Brown, said: “Choosing Ponda for your branded merchandise is an investment in restoring vital wetlands, supporting biodiversity and protecting the carbon stored in their soils.

"Every order creates demand for bulrushes grown on rewetted land, helping farmers build a reliable income through paludiculture.”

Ponda has previously worked with fashion and outdoor brands including Berghaus, Stella McCartney, Ahluwalia and Sheep Inc, with Wear the Wetland extending BioPuff into directly commissioned corporate and university clothing.