Sustainable packaging innovator Woolcool is celebrating a rare achievement of three Royal recognitions after being named as one of two Staffordshire recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise 2026.
Announced today, the awards – widely regarded as the UK’s most prestigious business honours – recognise 185 firms across the UK and Channel Islands, including 15 in the West Midlands, for their contribution to economic growth.
Stone-based Woolcool has received a King’s Award for International Trade, adding to its previous accolades of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Innovation in 2018 and the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development in 2022.
Lyngard, a designer and manufacturer of fine bone china lighting, has also been honoured in the international trade category.
Woolcool uses natural wool insulation to deliver temperature-controlled solutions for food, pharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
It said the latest awards reflects its continued growth, alongside an ongoing commitment to innovation and sustainability.
Founder and chairwoman Angela Morris said: “We are incredibly proud to receive this award.
“It is a recognition that underscores our long-held belief in the power of nature’s own ‘smart fibre’. It reaffirms the global potential of wool—not just as a sustainable alternative, but as a high-performance material capable of protecting the world’s most temperature-critical assets.
“Whether it is the distribution of life-saving vaccines to remote corners of the globe or the protection of delicate electronic components, our research has proven that wool consistently outperforms man-made alternatives.
“This award belongs to our dedicated Woolcool team and reinforces our commitment to using renewable resources to meet the planet’s most urgent logistical and environmental challenges.”
Chesterton-headquartered Lyngard is run by husband-and-wife team Carmen and Iain Pattinson, who launched the business in the back room of Carmen’s father’s restoration studio in 2014.
Carmen trained as a ceramic restorer before building a career in London as a fashion buyer, later returning to her roots in ceramics. Their products, which blend ceramic tradition with contemporary design, quickly attracted attention from The Conran Shop and within six months, their first collection appeared in shop windows across London and Paris.
Since then, Lyngard has partnered with brands including Harrods and The White Company, and now sells its products across Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.
Carmen said: “Building Lyngard has taken years of dedication, care and deep belief in what we create.
“To receive recognition from His Majesty The King is a true honour. It gives us even greater motivation to continue evolving, refining our craft, and growing the business in the years ahead.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise mark their 60th anniversary this year. Since 1965, the programme has recognised more than 8,0000 UK businesses, highlighting the strength, innovation, and ambition of British enterprise.
Blair McDougall, Minister for Small Businesses and Economic Transformation, said: “A huge congratulations to every business receiving awards this year, who once again have illustrated the best of British innovation and talent.
“These awards show that right across the UK, there are small businesses that are thriving, growing and succeeding and it’s only right that we champion these successes.”
His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants, The King’s representatives in each county, will be present awards locally throughout the year. One representative from each successful business will also be invited to a special Royal reception.
Recipients, who are permitted to display the King’s Awards emblem for five years, undergo a rigorous assessment process judged by experts from industry, academia, the voluntary sector and senior officials in Whitehall. Winners are recommended by the Prime Minister and approved by His Majesty The King.
