The Innovation in Wool awards 2026 are open for entry
13/03/2026
The Innovation in Wool Awards are open for 2026, continuing the mission to highlight commercial innovation in wool.
The Awards are awarded annually to individuals and organisations which show the most innovative use of wool in any commercially viable application.
The awards are supported by The Woolmen’s Company Charitable Incorporated Organisation and The Company of the Merchants of the Staple of England Charitable Trust, in collaboration with Campaign for Wool
About the Awards
With a total prize money of over £30,000, one, or more award(s) will be allocated to innovations that are commercially ready projects, or businesses, that include one, or more, of the following:
- Offer value to British wool farming
- Include British wool fibre
- Use British manufacturing
- Indicate the potential wool volume used in year one and future years scaling up volumes
The judging panel will have discretion to make Award(s) to entrants deemed commercially viable and ready for market production.
It is important to demonstrate genuine innovation and offer a commercially viable application using wool as the principal product.
Criteria
- The projects should be commercially ready for market, or already in-market/in production.
- Branding, packaging and marketing of product(s) should be in place, along with any patents.
- Full research, trials and business plans should be in place and submitted with the entry.
Key dates
- Entries Open – 2nd February 2026
- Entries closing date – 30th June 2026
- Presentation by shortlisted entrants of their Business Plans and interviews – 16th September 2026
- Awards announcement – 16th September 2026 (immediately after the presentations)