A tech pack (technical packet) is essentially the blueprint of your garment. Think of it as a contract between you and your factory: if a detail isn’t in the tech pack, you can’t expect it to appear on the final product.
When you rush into sampling without a comprehensive tech pack, you end up wasting weeks on "trial and error" revisions. Conversely, providing a highly detailed document before a single piece of fabric is cut allows the production team to identify risks early, streamline labor, budget materials accurately, and keep delivery dates on track.
Here is an exhaustive breakdown of everything a practical, production-ready tech pack must include, and exactly why it matters to your manufacturing team.
1. Technical Sketches & Flat Drawings (The Visuals)
Before looking at measurements, a factory needs to understand the construction. Your tech pack should feature clear, black-and-white digital flats (usually created in Adobe Illustrator) rather than artistic fashion illustrations.
Front and Back Views: Flat, proportional drawings showing the garment's silhouette.
Detail Close-ups: Magnified callouts of complex areas, such as a hidden pocket entry, a unique collar construction, or internal lining details.
Colorway Mockups: If the garment will be produced in multiple colors or prints, include a page mapping out how those colors apply to different panels.
2. The Bill of Materials (BOM)
The BOM is a comprehensive shopping list of every single physical item required to create the finished product. Without this, a factory cannot accurately calculate your cost per unit.
Fabric Details
Primary Fabric & Contrast Fabric: Fiber content (e.g., 100% Organic Cotton, 95% Bamboo / 5% Spandex), fabric weight (GSM or oz), weave type (e.g., French Terry, Ripstop), and the specific supplier if you are sourcing it yourself.
Colorways: Exact Pantone TCX or PMS codes for every fabric used to avoid shade discrepancies.
Trims & Hardware
Fasteners: Specifics on zippers (YKK, coil vs. metal, locking mechanism), buttons (size in Lignes, material like faux horn or metal), snaps, and rivets.
Drawcords & Elastics: Width, material, and tipping details (e.g., silicone-dipped or metal aglets).
Labels & Branding
Main Label: Material (woven vs. printed) and exact placement (e.g., center back neck, 1 cm below collar seam).
Care & Content Label: Legal requirements including fiber breakdown, country of origin, and care symbols.
Size Tabs & Hangtags: Placement instructions, string types, and attachment methods (e.g., plastic swift tack vs. safety pin).
3. Comprehensive Measurement Charts & Spec Sheets
A basic size chart isn't enough for a pattern maker. You need a detailed specification sheet that outlines the Points of Measure (POM).
The Base Size Spec: The exact measurements of your sample size (usually a Medium or a Size 6), including chest width, total length, sleeve opening, collar drop, and hem circumference.
Grading Rules: The incremental mathematical steps used to scale the garment up or down for your full size run (e.g., adding +2 inches to the chest for large sizes, but only +0.5 inches to the neck width).
Tolerances: The legally allowed margin of error for the factory. For example, if a sleeve length is spec'd at 24 inches with a $+/-$ 0.25-inch tolerance, a sample measuring 23.8 inches is acceptable, but 23.5 inches will be rejected.
4. Stitching, Construction, & Execution Notes
This section tells the factory exactly how to put the pieces together. It bridges the gap between a pile of cut fabric and a durable, retail-ready garment.
Stitch Types: Specifications using international standards or clear terminology (e.g., flatlock stitching for activewear, twin-needle topstitching for denim, or overlock seams for knits).
Stitches Per Inch (SPI): A crucial factor for durability and stretch. High SPI (e.g., 12–14 SPI) is standard for delicate blouses, while lower SPI might be used for heavy canvas.
Thread Specifications: Thread weight, material (e.g., core-spun polyester), and color instructions (e.g., "dyed to match" [DTM] vs. contrast gold stitching).
5. Packing & Shipping Requirements
How a garment travels from the factory floor to your warehouse determines how it looks when a customer opens the box. Unclear packing instructions often lead to crushed, moldy, or unsellable inventory.
Folding Instructions: Precise steps on how to fold the garment (e.g., "fold in half vertically, sleeves crossed over back") to minimize harsh creasing on delicate fabrics.
Polybag Specs: The thickness of the bag, whether it needs ventilation holes, and mandatory suffocation warning prints.
Carton Organization: Solid size packing vs. assorted size packing. For example, "Each carton must contain exactly 24 units: 4 Small, 8 Medium, 8 Large, 4 XL."
Barcodes and Retail Stickers: Exact placement of SKU stickers on the polybag and outer shipping cartons.
6. Target Quantities & Production Scope
Factories need to know the scale of production to plan their operations efficiently.
Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) Alignment: Stating your target quantities per style and per color ensures the factory can allocate the correct machinery.
Labor Forecasting: A run of 500 jackets requires different line planning than a run of 10,000. Sharing these numbers early allows the factory manager to book the appropriate sewers and technical specialists, avoiding bottleneck delays.