Companies innovating in the use of wool have been urged to enter the Innovation in Wool Awards 2024 to share a prize fund of up to £30,000.
The award is open to anyone with a commercial project which showcases wool in a new, novel, inspirational or innovative way. Applications are invited from those working in clothing, interiors, the building sector, insulation, agricultural, horticulture, medical, aquaculture or other scientific and novel industrial wool applications.
The annual award is a joint award overseen by The Woolmen’s Company Charitable Incorporated Organisation, The Company of The Merchants of the Staple of England Charitable Trust, The Worshipful Company of Clothiers (Worcester), and the initiative is supported by the Campaign for Wool.
Entrants can be based anywhere in the world; however, they need to demonstrate that they offer the following, and that any further innovation, development and upscaling will be based in the UK: offer value to British wool farming; include British wool fibre; use British manufacturing and indicate the potential wool volume used in year one and future years scaling up volumes.
Due diligence will be carried out by the entrants and the award givers to ensure there is no breach of patents, copyright, or intellectual property.
The closing date for applications is the 21 July 2024, with the winners announced on 17 September 2024.
Full criteria and how to enter are given on innovationinwool.com.
Solidwood (pictured), an unique composite material made from wool, which can be made into other products was among the winners in 2023.
