Maintaining Brand Authenticity Through Rebranding: A Case Study of Ponda.bio

Stakeholders are increasingly using social media to demand that fashion companies align their business practices with sustainable endeavors. This channel facilitates dialogue, allowing stakeholders to express ideas, needs, and demands for fashion brands to support social causes and practice sustainability. However, fashion brands face the challenge of maintaining authenticity and their brand DNA when responding to stakeholder demands and implementing sustainability actions that are perceived as authentic. This case study investigates the Ponda.bio brand, formerly known as SaltyCo, a member of the Future Fashion Factory ecosystem and a Responsive R&D project recipient, which aligned with their “Sustainability and Circular Economies” core research theme. This paper assesses the effectiveness of their rebranding strategy and the authenticity of their brand transformation. By analyzing brand communications on social media and an interview with a Ponda.bio representative, the study aims to offer guidance for fashion brands to authentically align with sustainability goals while preserving their brand identity and establishing genuine connections with stakeholders.