What is a “Tech Pack” in Fashion?

Anyone who read our post on ‘cut and sew’ noticed that we briefly touched on the criteria needed to mass produce your custom apparel design. This criteria, commonly referred to as a tech pack, is a comprehensive document used in the fashion industry to explain all the specifications of your custom garment or accessory.

It’s a crucial tool for designers, pattern makers, sample makers, and manufacturers (like us) to ensure that the final product meets your desired standards and intent. It reduces the room for errors or miscommunication. Essentially, it’s the north star in a client-to-manufacturer relationship.

Example of a Technical Sketch

This is what a typical tech pack includes:

  1. Style Overview:
    • An overview of the garment’s style, including its name, description, and purpose.
  2. Technical Sketch:
    • A detailed technical drawing or sketch of the garment, showing front, back, and side views.
    • The sketch includes important design details, such as seam lines, stitching, pockets, closures, and other features.
  3. Measurements:
    • A comprehensive list of measurements for various parts of the garment, such as bust, waist, hip, sleeve length, shoulder width, etc.
    • Measurements are usually provided for different sizes, ensuring accuracy across the size range.
  4.  Material and Trim Details:
    • Information about the materials needed for the garment, like fabric type, weight, color, and feel, along with any special finishes or treatments.
    • Details about trims, zippers, buttons, labels, and other hardware needed in the garment.
  1. Colorways:
    • If the garment comes in different color options, each colorway is specified with the corresponding Pantone (PMS) color codes.
  2. Construction and Assembly:
    • Instructions on how the garment should be assembled, including sewing techniques, stitch types, and construction methods.
  3. Bill of Materials (BOM):
    • A list of all the materials and components required to produce one unit of the garment, including quantities needed.
  4. Grading:
    • If the garment comes in multiple sizes, the grading rules are provided, which dictate how the measurements should vary between sizes.
  5. Print and Embroidery Details:
    • If there are any prints or embroideries on the garment, the tech pack includes artwork files, placement guides, and color information.
Keep in mind the unboxing is part of the experience
  1. Labeling and Packaging:
    • Information about how the garment should be labeled, tagged, and packaged for retail.
  2. Quality Standards:
    • Any specific quality standards or requirements that need to be met during production.

Skilled designers often create their own tech packs on Adobe, Indesign, etc. If you’re new to the process, don’t be afraid to ask for help. We have consulted countless brands and bands on creating their first tech pack, just like we consult on calculating the right amount of merch to take on the road.