What Is a Tech Pack? What Clothing Factories Need

A tech pack, short for technical package, is the document a clothing factory uses to quote, sample and reproduce a garment. It combines technical drawings, measurements, materials, construction notes, colour references, labels and revision history. A mood board shows intent; a tech pack defines what the factory must build.

The best tech pack is not the longest. It is the version that removes decisions from the production floor and makes every approval measurable.

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What is a tech pack in clothing production?

A tech pack is the shared source of truth between the brand, pattern maker, sample room, merchandiser, quality team and bulk factory. It should let another competent production team understand the garment without relying on an old email thread or verbal memory.

• Use a style number, date and version on every page.
• Show front, back and detail views with construction callouts.
• State units consistently and define each point of measure.
• Separate approved facts from open development questions.

Create it before requesting firm quotes. A factory can estimate from a photo, but it cannot price fabric consumption, special seams, trims or testing accurately until those variables are defined. The ISO 8559-1 clothing measurement standard is a useful reference for consistent anthropometric terminology; your finished-garment points of measure still need diagrams specific to the style.

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What should a factory-ready tech pack include?

For fabric, specify composition, construction, target GSM, finish, stretch direction and approved colour. For decoration, include the actual artwork file, finished dimensions, placement measured from stable garment points and colour references. “Large logo on chest” is not production information.

Labels and packaging belong in the BOM too. U.S. products generally need fibre content, country of origin and responsible business identification; review the FTC apparel labelling requirements before approving label artwork.

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How do you write measurements and tolerances that factories can use?

Name each point of measure, draw exactly where it starts and ends, state the measuring condition and give a base-size value. Add a realistic plus/minus tolerance rather than expecting a mathematically exact sewn garment.

• Measure chest width at a defined distance below the armhole.
• State whether rib and elastic are relaxed or stretched.
• Define curved measurements such as armhole, rise and hood opening with diagrams.
• Mark critical measurements that must be checked more frequently in bulk.
• Keep grading rules separate from finished-garment tolerances.

Use the first sample to validate the measurement method as well as the numbers. Our pattern making and grading capability shows where the technical specification becomes an actual production pattern.

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How should tech packs change during sampling?

A tech pack is controlled documentation, not a file you send once and forget. Record sample comments against the current version, then issue one updated master file. Do not leave the factory to reconcile a PDF, chat screenshots and a separate measurement spreadsheet.

• Photograph each issue and reference the affected POM or construction callout.
• Write the requested change, not only the problem.
• Mark every item approved, revised or pending.
• Increment the version and archive the superseded file.
• Use the approved pre-production version for bulk inspection.

During sample development, treat the garment, measurement report, fabric swatch and tech pack as one approval set. If any item changes, confirm whether the others must change too.

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Frequently asked questions about tech packs

What does a tech pack consist of?

It normally includes style identification, technical flats, a bill of materials, measurements and tolerances, construction notes, colourways, artwork, labels, packaging and a revision history.

How much do tech packs cost?

Cost depends on complexity and how much design work is already complete. A simple tee takes less technical work than a lined jacket. Ask for a scope that states the number of views, measurement chart, grading, BOM and revision rounds instead of comparing one headline fee.

Do you really need a tech pack?

For repeatable custom production, yes. A marked reference sample can accelerate early discussion, but the final specification must document what was approved.

Who uses tech packs?

Designers, product developers, pattern makers, merchandisers, factories and quality inspectors all use the same file at different stages.