A tech pack is the complete instruction set a factory needs to make your garment: technical sketches, measurements, materials, construction details, and labeling. Most production disasters trace back to a vague or outdated tech pack — managing it well is the highest-leverage skill in product development.
What a Complete Tech Pack Contains
Technical flat sketches (front, back, detail views), a bill of materials listing every fabric, trim, and thread with supplier references, graded measurement specs with tolerances, construction and stitching details, artwork and print placements, labeling and packaging instructions, and fit/shrinkage comments. If it's not in the tech pack, the factory will guess — and guess wrong.
Version Control Discipline
Every revision gets a new version number and date; the factory confirms receipt of the current version before cutting anything. Keep one master file per style — never email loose 'updated measurement' notes. Cloud-based PLM (product lifecycle management) tools automate this, but even a strict file-naming convention works for small brands.
Common Tech Pack Mistakes
Vague construction callouts ('neat stitching' means nothing), missing tolerances on measurements, unapproved substitute materials listed as options, and artwork files at the wrong scale or color mode. Have someone who didn't write the pack try to build the garment from it mentally — every confusion they hit is a future factory mistake.
FAQs
- How detailed should a tech pack be?
- Detailed enough that a factory you've never visited could produce the garment correctly. When in doubt, add the detail — ambiguity is the enemy.
- What software do brands use for tech packs?
- Options range from Illustrator templates and spreadsheets (fine for startups) to PLM systems like Centric or Backbone for larger teams managing hundreds of styles.
- Who owns the tech pack?
- You do. State in your manufacturing agreement that all patterns, tech packs, and grading developed for your styles are your intellectual property.
- When should the tech pack be finalized?
- Before the pre-production sample. Changes after PP approval trigger re-sampling charges and delays, so lock it down early.
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