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'Sustainable' businesses recognised by the King

Aimee Dexter
BBC News, East of England
Richard Daniel/BBC Natalie Mumford looking at the camera. She has shoulder length brown hair and is wearing a black blouse. Behind her is a row of purple patterned silk on a white shelf. Richard Daniel/BBC
Natalie Mumford said her silk business was focusing on "little steps" to "make a big difference"

Two firms have been recognised for their sustainable business practises by King Charles III.

Green Doors, of Luton, and Sudbury Silk Mills in Suffolk, are receiving The King's Awards for Enterprise later in the Sustainable Development category.

Joseph Holman, who founded Green Doors, said: "It was amazing. We are still in shock that we have even won it."

The silk firm said one of the things it tried to do was reuse its own textile waste as insulation for buildings.

Helen Mulroy/BBC Joseph Holman is looking at camera smiling. He has short brown hair and is wearing a black polo shirt with a collar, and a grey coat. Behind him are black and white framed doors in rows. Helen Mulroy/BBC
Joseph Holman started his firm after being shocked by the amount of waste he could see in his town

Mr Holman started his business after recovered a discarded a door, restored it and sold it on eBay.

He said he "could not believe the amount of waste" he could see when he was driving around the town.

Helen Mulroy/BBC Different coloured doors are lined up behind each other in a room. The door at the front has multi-coloured stained windows. Helen Mulroy/BBC
Mr Holman said the business rescued 3,000 items from landfill in 2024

Mr Holman said the company has upcycled about 20,000 doors since it opened in 2014.

"They do not biodegrade so it is really bad for the environment when they go to the waste site," he said.

"The world is changing people want to give these items a second chance."

The awards programme, now in its 59th year, has recognised about 8,000 companies.

Richard Daniel/BBC A room full of machinery, including two green looms that have navy silk on them. In the far right, at the end of the room, is a white window. Richard Daniel/BBC
The family-run company has been weaving silk for over three centuries and ten generations

Sudbury Silk Mills calls itself a specialist in the weaving of responsibly manufactured textiles for global luxury fashion and interiors.

The firm's Natalie Mumford said: "It is really exciting to be recognised for the sustainability work that we have been doing.

"We have been recognised for our reduction in carbon footprint.

"Now we are repurposing all of our textile waste and putting that into products such as insulation for buildings."

The awards are recommended by the prime minister and approved by the King.

A full list of award winners is being announced in the London Gazette.

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