DCUK, The Original Wooden Duck Company, is celebrating after being honoured with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise 2026 in the category of International Trade.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise are among the most respected business honours in the UK, recognising outstanding achievement in areas including international trade, innovation and sustainable development. Award winners are entitled to hold the honour for five years in recognition of their achievement.

Founded in Devon over 20 years ago, DCUK has become known for its hand-carved and hand-painted wooden characters, now collected and gifted by customers around the world. What began with a few ducks and a simple mission to help people smile has grown into an internationally recognised gifting brand working with retailers, collectors and partners across the UK, North America, Europe and beyond.

Craig Wensley, DCUK owner, said: “To receive a King’s Award for Enterprise is an incredibly proud moment for our whole team. DCUK has always been built around craftsmanship, character and creating products that make people smile, so to see an independent British gifting brand recognised in this way feels very special indeed.We’re hugely grateful to our team, our craftspeople, our stockists and our collectors around the world who have supported us over the years. This award belongs to all of them too.”

Steve Manser, Head of Marketing at DCUK, added: “The application process is incredibly detailed and rigorous, requiring brands to demonstrate excellence across several areas including growth, strategy, international development and wider business impact, so this recognition means a huge amount to us.

"Over the last few years, we’ve enjoyed seeing new retailers and customers around the world discovering the characters and the stories behind them. There’s a real sense of excitement across the DCUK brand right now, and we’re already working on ways to properly celebrate and commemorate this important award over the coming weeks and months. Watch this space.”