In a notable advancement for sustainable fashion, Faber VC has co-led a significant investment round for Ponda, a trailblazer in biomaterials from the UK. This funding is designated for the rollout of BioPuff, an innovative plant-based insulation alternative to traditional down, already being utilized by Positive Materials.
Ponda successfully secured US$2.4 million (approximately €2.2 million) to elevate its operations surrounding the BioPuff insulation and broaden its European wetland farming initiatives.
The investment round, spearheaded by Lisbon’s Faber VC alongside London-based Counteract, welcomed participation from PDS Ventures, Evenlode Impact, and the Royal College of Art. This recent boost brings Ponda’s total funding to US$6.5 million, a figure composed of venture capital and various grants and awards from influential bodies such as Innovate UK, the Terra Carta Design Lab, and the H&M Foundation. Significantly, Ponda earned recognition as a winner of the H&M Foundation’s 2022 innovation award.
BioPuff is crafted from Typha, a wetland plant, cultivated via paludiculture—the sustainable practice of reviving degraded peatlands. This material not only matches the thermal performance of goose down but does so at a reduced cost, all while positively impacting the environment. Rita Sousa, a partner at Faber, articulated that Ponda’s blend of regenerative agriculture with advanced material science positions the company to uncover substantial opportunities across various industries, simultaneously fostering biodiversity.
According to Ponda, the newly acquired funding will facilitate a transition from pilot projects to full-scale commercial production while enhancing its network of Typha growers throughout multiple European nations. The company aims to debut its first commercial BioPuff products in the autumn/winter 2026 collections. Co-founder and CEO Julian Ellis-Brown emphasized, “Every coat filled with BioPuff not only helps reduce emissions but also directly finances the restoration of peatlands—one of the planet’s most effective carbon sinks.”
The significance of this innovative production model cannot be overlooked; drained peatlands generate approximately 2 gigatonnes of emissions annually, heightening flood risks. Ponda’s collaboration with landowners to rehydrate these regions and cultivate Typha offers a transformative solution, potentially mitigating up to 30 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per hectare each year, as stated by the company.
Ponda originated from an academic initiative at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, transitioning into an operational enterprise with a fiber processing and prototyping facility in Bristol, dedicated to developing and refining BioPuff.
The company is already in partnership with notable brands such as Berghaus, Stella McCartney, Parley for the Oceans, and Sheep Inc., working collaboratively to assess the material’s durability and functionality in real-life applications. Recently, Positive Materials presented a bomber jacket in Paris, designed with Oval faux fur and insulated with BioPuff, further showcasing the potential of this innovative insulation.
While the fashion industry currently represents the primary application of BioPuff, the material is also being evaluated for diverse uses in home textiles, furniture, toys, and much more.
