King’s Awards Leeds 2026: Two City Firms Win for Innovation

King’s Awards Leeds 2026: Pudsey textile manufacturer AW Hainsworth and deep technology company Ionix Advanced Technologies both win for Innovation as Yorkshire claims 14 awards

Two Leeds-based companies have won King’s Awards for Enterprise in the 2026 round, both recognised for Innovation. AW Hainsworth & Sons, the eighth-generation textile manufacturer in Pudsey trading since 1783, won for its ECO-DRY fabric; a merino wool blend used in PPE worn by up to 70% of Australian wildland firefighters. Ionix Advanced Technologies, a 22-person deep technology company based in the city, won for its HotSense sensor platform that enables real-time ultrasonic monitoring in extreme environments from -200 to +600°C. The King’s Awards Leeds winners are part of a 14-strong Yorkshire and Humber cohort out of 186 awards nationally, marking the programme’s 60th anniversary.

AW Hainsworth — 242 Years of Textile Innovation

AW Hainsworth, based in Pudsey, has held a Royal Warrant for more than two decades. The Innovation award recognises ECO-DRY, a fabric blending man-made flame-retardant fibres with natural merino wool to create a lighter, more breathable single-layer PPE for wildland firefighters. Managing director Amanda McLaren said the company recognised an urgent need for more comfortable PPE as Australian fire seasons grow longer and more volatile. She added that ECO-DRY’s proven technology is now positioned to protect the European market, with the Yorkshire mill committed to supporting emergency services globally.

“”We’re so pleased that this prestigious award has recognised our ground-breaking work in this field. As climate change impacts the world, ECO-DRY’s proven technology is perfectly placed to protect the European market. Our Yorkshire mill remains committed to supporting emergency services globally with materials that combine British craft, technical excellence, and uncompromising safety.””

— Amanda McLaren, Managing Director, AW Hainsworth

Ionix Advanced Technologies — Sensing the Extreme

Ionix Advanced Technologies was recognised for its HotSense sensor platform and high-performance materials. Together these enable continuous real-time ultrasonic sensing at temperatures from -200 to +600°C, at high pressures, and in explosive and radioactive atmospheres where conventional sensors fail. The technology is deployed across energy, petrochemical, and industrial sectors globally. CEO Tim Stevenson described the award as a defining moment, reflecting years of advanced materials research and a clear commercial conviction to improve the resilience of critical infrastructure.