A Rutland-based bedding company has won a Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The company, which employs 25 and is based in Pillings Road, Oakham, gained the award for International Trade.

Woolroom was founded in 2008 by Jo Dawson, a fourth generation of a Bradford wool merchant family and is a specialist homewares retailer which utilises the amazing qualities of wool at the heart of all its products.

Spawned out of a business with 150 years of knowledge in selecting the right wool for the right use, Woolroom has developed a reputation for being the go-to retailer for enabling a better night's 'clean sleep', owing to its temperature regulating and chemical free properties.

Chris Tattersall, Managing Director and 100% owner since 2019, joined Jo in the business in 2012 and has been instrumental in building a multi-channel approach for the business backed up by real evidence of the amazing performance of wool.

Partnerships with Allergy UK, University of Leeds and Bangor University have been at the heart of providing real credibility and confidence to consumers about the benefits of wool.

In addition, and more recently Woolroom has developed a partnership with Woolkeepers to deliver fully traceable wool back to the farm showcasing the natural sustainable benefits of wool at the same time as supporting British farmers.

The business has a multi-channel approach with three UK retail shops, a growing Business-to Business operation and a very fast-growing online presence in both the UK and North America.

In 2019, Woolroom also partnered with an Icelandic company to develop the Woolroom brand in Iceland and to provide residents with a natural sleep solution – this model offered major health benefits for Icelandic residents who previously suffered with their sleep because of chemical sensitivity in memory foam and synthetic mattresses. It is this major growth in North America and Iceland over the last three years that has culminated in this Queen's Award.

Woolroom says it is pleased to reveal itwill achieve close to £8 million turnover in the financial year that completes on August 31st, 2021 and it aims to achieve a continued double digit annual overall growth over the next two years.

The company also sets its sight on the North American business to become the largest provider of natural sleep in North America and for this to become the largest part of the business in the next three years, with a targeted and dedicated team based in the UK supported by key logistics and digital marketing partners located in the USA.

Mr Tattersall said: "We are immensely proud to have been selected as a winner for the Queen's Award for Enterprise, it has been a team effort delivering such a great increase in International Trade over the last three years and I would like to thank my team for all their hard work, particularly through the challenges of the pandemic."

He added: "We would encourage anyone thinking about entering for this year's award to go for it – it is a great way of elevating British business on an international platform. As our business continues to grow, we will most definitely be applying for another one in years to come."

Now in its 55th year, the Queen's Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen's Awards emblem for the next five years.

Applications for Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2022 open on the 1st May 2021. For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise.