The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word DISTILLERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "Makers of shorts may be" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case makers of shorts may be = distillers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does DISTILLERS mean?
DISTILLERS noun- A person who distills, especially alcoholic spirits or hard liquor by a process of distillation; a person who owns, works in or operates a distillery.
- A device or apparatus that distills, a condenser; a still.
- A company whose business is distilling, especially one that manufactures alcoholic spirits or liquor.