Shirley

What Shirley does

Shirley (legally Shirley Technologies Limited, registered in England & Wales) is an independent textile testing, certification, and auditing organisation headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, with operational roots stretching back over 100 years. The company provides UKAS-accredited laboratory testing services — covering targeted chemical analysis, microbiology and biochemistry testing, volatile organic compounds (VOC) analysis, REACH SVHC screening, and bespoke test programmes — alongside authorised certification body services for the full OEKO-TEX portfolio, including STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, STeP, ORGANIC COTTON, ECO PASSPORT, and LEATHER STANDARD. The most recent product expansion, the OEKO-TEX ORGANIC COTTON certification launched in 2023, added mandatory GMO DNA testing of physical cotton fibre to the service catalogue. Technologically, the business is anchored in BS EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005-accredited laboratories delivering over 1,000 accredited test methods, with technical investigation services for legal and compliance purposes as a smaller adjacent line.

The business operates a B2B professional services model, selling quote-based testing and certification engagements primarily to textile manufacturers, brands and retailers, and chemical suppliers. Services are delivered through a network of 19 offices spanning the UK, Ireland, India (Ahmedabad and Tirupur), Singapore, Bangladesh, Pakistan (Faisalabad and Karachi), Vietnam, Kenya, China, and the United States, with contracts typically structured as multi-year engagements subject to annual renewal and surveillance audits. The company employs more than 150 staff, including laboratory technicians, regulatory specialists, and a customer service function. Customer evidence is diversified across Pakistan (Soorty Enterprises), India (Pinnacle Fiber), the UK (UW Home, Failsworth Hats, UKFT), and Europe (Milena Bis), and the firm maintains a sister-company relationship with BTTG®, which serves the PPE, construction products, and technical textiles sectors. Go-to-market relies on direct enterprise sales, industry seminars and webinars, content marketing through industry publications, and the MyOEKO-TEX digital portal for client management and label verification.

Name

Shirley

Legal name

Shirley Technologies Limited

Website

https://shirley.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shirley is an independent UK-based textile testing, certification, and auditing firm serving global textile manufacturers, brands, retailers, and chemical suppliers. Operating from 19 locations with 150+ staff, it delivers UKAS-accredited laboratory testing and authorised OEKO-TEX certification services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Testing & Certification Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Textile Testing, Compliance & Quality Assurance (CRAAAMAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable & Certified Materials (Organic, Recycled, Traceable) (CRAAAMAK), Organic Certification Services (AFALAMAA), Sustainability Testing, Certification & Compliance (LCA, Recyclability/Compostability Testing, FSC/PEFC) (IMALAMAK)

Keywords

• Textile testing services
• OEKO-TEX certification
• Laboratory chemical analysis
• Textile compliance auditing
• Product safety testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Testing Services: Laboratory testing services for textile compliance including targeted chemical analysis, microbiology & biochemistry testing, VOC testing, and REACH SVHC testing
2. OEKO-TEX Certification: Certification services for various OEKO-TEX standards including STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, STeP, ORGANIC COTTON, ECO PASSPORT, and LEATHER STANDARD
3. Auditing Services: Technical investigation and auditing services for compliance verification

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shirley provides independent testing, certification, and auditing services for the textile and flexible materials industry. Its core offerings include six OEKO-TEX certification standards (STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, STeP, ORGANIC COTTON, ECO PASSPORT, LEATHER STANDARD) and a broad portfolio of UKAS accredited laboratory tests covering chemical analysis, microbiology, VOCs, and REACH SVHC compliance. The company serves textile manufacturers, brands, retailers, and chemical suppliers across 19 global locations.

Product overview

Shirley is a testing, certification, and auditing organisation providing comprehensive services for responsible textile compliance. The company operates a dual offering: (1) OEKO-TEX® certification services encompassing six distinct certification products (STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, STeP, ORGANIC COTTON, ECO PASSPORT, and LEATHER STANDARD) that verify product safety, sustainability, and supply chain transparency; and (2) laboratory testing services including targeted chemical analysis, microbiology and biochemistry testing, VOC testing, REACH SVHC testing, and bespoke testing solutions. The OEKO-TEX® certifications serve as the primary certification framework, with STANDARD 100 being the core product safety certification, while the testing services provide analytical support for both certification purposes and standalone compliance verification. Shirley has been an OEKO-TEX® member for over 30 years and offers over 1,000 UKAS accredited tests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BTTG®: Sister company offering additional textile testing and certification services under the BTTG brand.

Products and services

• OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 UKAS accredited tests available
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OEKO-TEX AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShirley has been a trusted OEKO-TEX member for over 30 years, providing certification and testing services for all OEKO-TEX standards including STANDARD 100, MADE IN GREEN, STeP, ORGANIC COTTON, ECO PASSPORT, and LEATHER STANDARD. As a member organization, Shirley serves as an authorized certification body.
• BTTG®minorOthersSister company BTTG® serves the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Construction Products, and technical textiles industries through testing, certification, and auditing services, including manikin and FIA testing. Operates as a separate but affiliated organization.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Global testing and certification provider with textile and apparel testing services — competes with Shirley across REACH, chemical, and quality testing for textile brands and manufacturers.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC conglomerate with a Consumer Products division that includes textile and apparel testing — competes with Shirley on compliance and chemical testing services across international markets.
• TÜV SÜD: Global certification and testing organisation with softlines and textile testing capabilities — competes with Shirley across REACH compliance and product safety certification.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with a substantial softlines/textile division — competes with Shirley on textile compliance testing at much greater global scale.
• Eurofins: International testing group with strong presence in chemical and consumer product testing — increasingly active in textile compliance, REACH, and OEKO-TEX-adjacent services.

Direct peers

• Hohenstein: German textile research and testing institute and long-standing OEKO-TEX member offering testing, certification, and labelling services across the textile value chain — directly comparable in service mix and customer base to Shirley.
• AITEX: Spanish textile research institute and OEKO-TEX member offering testing, certification, and R&D services to the textile industry — comparable to Shirley in service scope and European institutional positioning.
• CENTEXBEL: Belgian textile research centre offering testing, certification, and OEKO-TEX services — comparable European institutional peer to Shirley in technical textile testing and certification.
• IDFL: Textile testing and certification institute specialising in down, feather, and fibre products — comparable niche specialist model to Shirley, serving textile brands and manufacturers globally.
• TESTEX: Swiss-based OEKO-TEX member institute providing textile testing and certification, with offices in major Asian manufacturing hubs — directly comparable to Shirley in OEKO-TEX certification delivery and geographic coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shirley-technologies-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shirley