A BARNSLEY company has been honoured with the King’s Award for Enterprise for international trade - the equivalent of an MBE for businesses.

Vamoosh is one of only 185 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise in 2026.

Founded by Tom Abbey and Dave Toms, and developed by Cares Laboratory, Vamoosh was inspired by Tom’s black labrador whose relentless shedding exposed a gap in the market no product existed that could genuinely remove hair from fabrics within the washing machine.

After years of development, the breakthrough Vamoosh Pet Hair Dissolver launched commercially in 2017, creating an entirely new sub-category within laundry and quickly establishing itself as a hero product in the UK market.

Since launch, Vamoosh has grown into a nationally listed brand, now stocked in more than 5,000 UK retail outlets.

Exports began in 2018 and have since increased by 440 per cent over three years, with products now sold in more than 30 countries including Australia, Germany, South Africa, the Nordics and most recently the USA.

This most recent award follows Vamoosh receiving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation in 2022.

Tom said: “We’re absolutely delighted to receive the King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade.

“To see the growth of Vamoosh recognised in such a prestigious way is an honour for the whole team.

“Over the last few years, we’ve worked incredibly hard to grow the brand internationally, bringing our patented innovations to households around the world, so it’s fantastic to see those efforts recognised with the UK’s highest business award.

“This achievement is a real reflection of the passion, dedication and innovation across the entire Vamoosh team, and we’re excited for what the future holds.”