Private Label Guides•December 8, 2024•9 min read

How to Prepare a Tech Pack for Clothing Production

Comprehensive guide to creating professional tech packs that communicate your garment specifications clearly to manufacturers.

A tech pack (technical package) is the comprehensive blueprint for your garment, communicating all specifications to manufacturers in standardized format. A well-prepared tech pack prevents misunderstandings, reduces sampling iterations, and ensures your vision becomes reality. This guide explains how to create professional tech packs that facilitate smooth production.

Essential Tech Pack Components

1. Technical Sketches

Flat technical drawings showing front, back, and any detail views of the garment. These should be clear line drawings (not fashion illustrations) showing construction details, seam placements, and all features.

Tip: Use Adobe Illustrator or similar software for clean vector sketches. Include measurement points marked clearly.

2. Detailed Measurements (Spec Sheet)

Complete measurements for all sizes in your range. Include key measurements: chest/bust width, garment length, shoulder width, sleeve length, hem width, collar dimensions, pocket placements, and all relevant measurements specific to your garment type.

Tolerance: Specify acceptable measurement tolerance (typically ±0.5cm or ±0.25 inches).

3. Fabric Specifications

Complete fabric details ensure correct sourcing:

• Fabric composition (e.g., "80% cotton / 20% polyester")
• Fabric type (jersey, fleece, twill, denim, etc.)
• Weight in GSM (grams per square meter)
• Color specifications (Pantone codes preferred)
• Any special finishes (brushed, pre-shrunk, water-resistant)

4. Construction Details

Specify how the garment should be constructed: seam types (flatlock, overlock, coverstitch), stitch specifications (thread type, stitch count per inch), hem types and measurements, reinforcement requirements for stress points, interlining or stabilizer specifications if needed.

5. Trim and Hardware

All components beyond main fabric:

• Zipper specifications (length, type, color, brand if specific)
• Button details (size, color, holes, material)
• Drawcords, elastic, ribbing specifications
• Thread colors for construction and topstitching

6. Labels and Packaging

Main label (brand label), care label content and placement, size labels, hang tags if applicable, poly bag specifications, any special packaging requirements.

7. Branding and Decoration

If adding prints, embroidery, or other branding: artwork files, placement specifications, print method (screen print, DTG, etc.), embroidery thread colors, size specifications for all branding elements.

Tech Pack Best Practices

Clarity and Precision

• Use consistent units (either all metric or all imperial, don't mix)
• Include reference samples or photos for complex details
• Number all sketches and reference them in text descriptions
• Use standard terminology that manufacturers understand
• Avoid ambiguous terms like "slightly loose" - provide actual measurements

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Incomplete measurements: Missing key measurements causes delays and errors
• Vague fabric descriptions: "Soft cotton" is inadequate - specify weight, composition, finish
• Unrealistic expectations: Ensure design is manufacturable within your budget
• Inconsistent information: Ensure sketches match written descriptions
• Missing care instructions: Specify required care label content
• No tolerance specifications: Define acceptable measurement variations

Working with Manufacturers

Even with excellent tech packs, communication is essential. Share tech packs early in discussions, be open to manufacturer feedback on feasibility, clarify any questions promptly, expect some back-and-forth refinement, and maintain organized version control of tech pack revisions.

Professional manufacturers review tech packs and ask clarifying questions or suggest modifications for manufacturability or cost optimization. This collaboration improves outcomes - manufacturers have production expertise you should leverage.

Tech Pack Tools and Resources

Several tools facilitate tech pack creation. Adobe Illustrator is industry standard for technical sketches. Techpacker is specialized tech pack software with templates. Excel/Google Sheets work well for spec sheets. Many manufacturers provide tech pack templates - ask if they have preferred formats.