What Shirtworks does

Shirtworks is a UK-based custom apparel decoration company operating from a single facility in Oxford since 1986. The company offers four in-house decoration methods — screen printing, direct-to-garment (DTG) digital printing using Kornit inkjet technology with water-based inks, direct-to-film (DTF) transfer printing, and commercial embroidery with in-house digitising — covering everything from single-unit DTG orders to bulk screen-printed runs and stitch-count-based embroidery.

The business serves UK businesses and organisations across multiple verticals, including corporate workwear, sports clubs, education, healthcare and beauty, hospitality, and events. Distribution combines a self-serve e-commerce website (with an Online Design Studio for live garment mockups and an AI Quote Assistant for conversational instant pricing), direct phone/email sales with assigned account managers for larger B2B orders, and a by-appointment Oxford showroom. The product catalogue spans more than a dozen categories (t-shirts, hoodies, polos, jackets, workwear, hi-viz, headwear, bags) and is anchored by a premium sustainable range built around Stanley/Stella GOTS-certified organic cotton and other ethical-supply brands.

Revenue is generated per-garment with volume-based price breaks at 10/20/50/100/200/500 units and is supplemented by add-on services such as relabelling and heat transfer printing. All production is performed in-house rather than outsourced, supporting quality control and the company's 7–10 working day standard turnaround. Shirtworks P&E Ltd is a privately held company with no disclosed parent, funding, or public revenue; its competitive positioning rests on 40+ years of operating history, in-house multi-method capability, ESG credentials (Living Wage Employer since December 2013, Fair Wear Foundation member), and verified 4.7/5 ratings on both eKomi and Trustpilot.

Name

Shirtworks

Legal name

Shirtworks P&E Ltd

Website

https://shirtworks.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shirtworks is a privately-held UK custom apparel decorator, founded in 1986 in Oxford, offering in-house screen printing, DTG, DTF, and embroidery services to UK businesses, sports clubs, and consumers across multiple industry verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Apparel Decoration

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (3152), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (315250)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320)

akta.pro primary industry

Apparel Dyeing, Printing, Finishing & Laundries (CRAAAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tops & Shirts Cut & Sew (T-Shirts/Shirts/Blouses) (IMAOAEAE), Outerwear & Performance Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAB), Luxury & Couture / Small-Batch Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAL)

Keywords

• Custom apparel printing
• Garment embroidery services
• Screen printing services
• Branded workwear uniforms
• DTG digital printing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oxford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Apparel Sales: The primary revenue stream is from printing and embroidering custom designs onto apparel items (t-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, jackets, workwear, etc.) and selling these to customers. Revenue is generated per garment with pricing based on garment type, decoration method, quantity, and number of colours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shirtworks is a UK-based custom apparel decoration company that prints and embroiders designs onto customer-supplied or Shirtworks-sourced garments such as t-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, jackets, and workwear. It offers four decoration methods (screen printing, DTG, DTF, embroidery) plus heat transfers and relabelling, with self-service ordering via an Online Design Studio and an AI Quote Assistant for instant pricing. Production is fully in-house at its Oxford facility, with a 7–10 working day standard turnaround and free UK delivery on qualifying orders.

Product overview

Shirtworks is a UK-based custom apparel decoration company offering a comprehensive suite of printing and embroidery services for businesses, teams, and individuals. The core offering consists of four primary decoration methods: Screen Printing (bulk orders with bold spot colours), DTG Printing (full-colour digital for small runs), DTF Printing (versatile transfer printing on cotton/polyester/blends), and Embroidery (premium stitched branding). Supporting these are self-service tools including an Online Design Studio for live garment mockup creation and an AI Quote Assistant for conversational instant pricing. The product portfolio spans T-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, activewear, shirts, jackets, workwear, hi-viz, fleece, headwear, childrenswear, and bags. Shirtworks also stocks Stanley/Stella sustainable apparel as a premium brand line and offers relabelling services for customers building their own clothing brands. Standard turnaround is 7–10 working days with no minimum order for digital methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Screen Printing Traditional garment decoration service where ink is pushed through mesh screens onto fabric, producing bold, vibrant, durable prints. One screen per colour; ideal for bulk orders with solid spot colours. Standard maximum print area 37 x 45 cm; volume-based pricing with price breaks at 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 units. For UK businesses, sports clubs, bands, and event organisers needing consistent bulk custom apparel.
• DTG (Direct-to-Garment) Printing Digital inkjet garment decoration that applies water-based, non-toxic, vegan-friendly inks directly onto fabric using Kornit technology. Produces photorealistic prints, complex full-colour artwork, and gradients without screen setup, with no minimum order quantity. Best on cotton garments. For small runs, full-colour designs, photographic artwork, and individual custom orders.
• DTF (Direct-to-Film) Printing Transfer-based garment decoration where designs are printed onto film, coated with adhesive powder, and heat-pressed onto garments. Works on cotton, polyester, and blended fabrics with full-colour capability, vibrant results, and durability. For versatile full-colour prints across mixed fabric types with no minimum order quantity.
• Embroidery Commercial stitching of logos and designs into fabric using coloured thread on professional machines with in-house digitising, producing a premium raised textured finish. Maximum embroidery area 240x240mm; minimum text height 6mm. Pricing based on stitch count (first 5,000 stitches included, additional per 1,000) with a one-time digitising fee per design. Most durable method for workwear and corporate uniforms; most cost-effective from around 10 units.
• Heat Transfers Pre-produced transfer designs applied to garments via heat press. Used for multi-location designs, sports kits, and numbered jerseys, delivering consistent results across multiple garments. For sports clubs and teams needing numbered, multi-position kit branding.
• Relabelling Service Removal of original garment labels and replacement with custom woven or printed labels, enabling customers to create their own branded clothing products. For start-up clothing brands and businesses building their own label.
• Online Design Studio Browser-based self-service design tool that lets customers upload artwork, add text with font and colour options, position designs on garment mockups, and see a live preview with quantity-based pricing that updates in real time. For individual consumers and SMB customers designing custom apparel online.
• AI Quote Assistant Conversational AI tool available 24/7 on the Instant Quote page that processes natural language descriptions of custom clothing requirements (garment type, quantity, colours, design placement) and returns instant pricing, product recommendations, and decoration method advice without forms or waiting. For individual and SMB customers seeking fast self-serve quotes.
• Stanley/Stella Sustainable Apparel Premium organic cotton garment line from Belgian brand Stanley/Stella, made from GOTS-certified organic cotton and certified by Fair Wear Foundation, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, B Corp, and PETA-Approved Vegan. Over 135 products including t-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, jackets, and children's wear. For brands and businesses seeking retail-quality, ethically certified garments for custom decoration.
• Sustainable Clothing Range Curated collection of eco-conscious garments including GOTS-certified organic cotton, GRS-certified recycled polyester, and Fair Wear Foundation accredited brands, printed in Oxford using water-based inks where possible. For businesses and consumers prioritising ethically sourced, sustainable custom apparel.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40+ years of experience in custom clothing decoration industry
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Stanley/StellacoreTechnology or IntegrationShirtworks is an Official Dealer for Stanley/Stella, a premium sustainable apparel brand based in Belgium. Stanley/Stella produces GOTS-certified organic cotton garments that meet Fair Wear Foundation standards. Shirtworks offers 135+ Stanley/Stella products including t-shirts, hoodies, polo shirts, jackets, and children's wear. This partnership provides Shirtworks customers access to premium sustainable clothing options for custom decoration.
• Continental Clothing / EarthPositivecoreTechnology or IntegrationContinental Clothing is a certified sustainable garment supplier offering EarthPositive brand products made from organic and recycled materials. Shirtworks stocks these alongside Stanley/Stella as part of their sustainable range.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Spreadshirt: Spreadshirt is a European print-on-demand and custom apparel marketplace operating its own production facilities plus integrations, offering screen print, DTG and embroidery on apparel and accessories. It is comparable to Shirtworks as a directly competing European custom apparel decorator serving both individual creators and B2B buyers, with similar decoration methods and product categories.
• Printful: Printful is a global print-on-demand fulfilment company offering DTG, DTF, embroidery and sublimation across t-shirts, hoodies and workwear. It competes directly with Shirtworks' DTG/DTF small-batch and online design ordering capabilities, with the key differences being Printful's POD/integration model and broader geographic reach versus Shirtworks' UK in-house B2B focus.
• Ralawise: Ralawise is a UK trade supplier of promotional, workwear and custom-decorated apparel offering decoration services plus blank garment wholesale. It competes with Shirtworks for UK B2B custom apparel orders, particularly in workwear and corporate uniforms, though it is more wholesale/distributor-led in go-to-market.
• AWDis (All We Do Is Print): AWDis is a UK-based custom apparel and workwear decoration group supplying printed, embroidered and personalised garments to trade and end customers. It is comparable to Shirtworks as a UK-headquartered direct competitor in custom decorated apparel, with overlapping decoration methods, customer segments (corporate, team, workwear) and a similar trade/wholesale angle.
• Penmark (Penmark Apparel): Penmark is a UK custom apparel and embroidery specialist serving corporate, hospitality, healthcare and events customers with in-house decoration. It is directly comparable to Shirtworks as a UK-based custom clothing decorator with overlapping customer verticals, decoration methods (embroidery, print) and a similar B2B emphasis on uniforms and workwear.

Broad incumbents

• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Vistaprint, part of Cimpress, is a major online print and custom products platform that includes custom apparel (t-shirts, polos, hoodies) alongside business cards and signage. It is comparable to Shirtworks as a competing online destination for SMB custom apparel orders with self-serve design tools and volume pricing, although it operates as a much broader print platform.
• Custom Ink: Custom Ink is a large US-headquartered custom apparel decoration business offering screen printing, embroidery and DTG to groups, teams and businesses. It is comparable to Shirtworks as a directly competing custom-apparel decoration platform with a similar product mix (t-shirts, hoodies, polos, uniforms) and similar online design/quote workflow, though operating at far greater scale and primarily in North America.

Emerging players

• Teemill: Teemill is a UK-based circular fashion and print-on-demand brand offering custom printed organic cotton t-shirts, hoodies and tote bags with DTG production. It overlaps with Shirtworks in custom apparel decoration and sustainable apparel positioning, but competes more on DTC/creator-led POD rather than B2B uniform contracts.
• Bannerbuzz (UK operations): Bannerbuzz is an online custom print platform expanding into custom apparel and textiles alongside signage and banners. It is comparable to Shirtworks as an online-first competitor in custom decorated garments with self-serve design and quote tools, though apparel is a newer line versus Shirtworks' apparel-only specialism.

Regional players

• Delta Promotions (UK): Delta Promotions is a UK supplier of branded promotional products including custom printed and embroidered apparel for events, corporate and team use. It overlaps with Shirtworks in custom apparel decoration and serves similar UK B2B segments, but is broader on promotional merchandise and smaller in production scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shirtworksltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/shirtworks

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Shirtworks