How Tech Packs ensure that your design vision becomes a reality.

What a Tech Pack includes.

Essentially, it’s a set of documents you create to explain and describe everything about the garment you have in mind to other parties. Among other things, it contains such information as detailed flat sketches, measurement specs, materials to be use, size gradings and much else. (See below for more detail.)

It also serves as a central hub for tracking product development by including comments and changes as the process moves along.

A good Tech Pack will bring your garment to market more quickly by minimizing the number of samples needed. Indeed, you’d be thrilled when you see error-free samples that match your original vision!

Also, the better your Tech Pack is, the more accurately a manufacturer can quote a price. In fact, it’s so important that unless you provide a strong Tech Pack, most contractors and manufacturers will not even take your order.

Perhaps best of all, your Tech Pack encapsulates your vision and you have it forever. You can share it with any manufacturer to develop products and get accurate price quotes.

Suffice it to say, then, a strong Tech Pack can save you – and others – significant time and money.

Your Tech Pack delivers other key benefits as well.

These include better fit quality, a reference point for quality control, plus the ability to collaborate in teams. The latter will bring you together with product developers, buyers and quality-control planners so you can create even better products – and do it faster!

What should you pack into your Tech Pack?

If you’re like most of your fellow designers, you’ll want to start with Technical Sketches (a.k.a., fashion flats) as they show every design detail from different angles (front, side, back and inside). You should have your garment sketch completed before starting your Tech Pack.

First of all, be as detailed yet as simple as possible. The manufacturer needs lots of information but does not want to deal with complexity. So offer a variety of vantage points (side views, onside labels, etc.) so the manufacturer can clearly see how the garments should be made. Remember, too, that any key information not presented visually needs to be put in writing.

You also need to include a Bill of Materials (BOM).

This is a list of raw materials that you need to source in order for your garments to be produced and prepared for shipment. These materials will, of course, have a major impact on your product quality. Most BOMs contain the main fabric, the secondary fabric or lining, thread, trims, packaging, closures, labels and more.

Here are its primary advantages:

It helps you determine costs and therefore prices

It ensures that all components are utilized

It facilitates consistent high quality through standardized manufacturing.

A Measurements Specification Sheets is also essential.

This detailed list includes such basic components as body length, chest, waist, hips, shoulder drop, arm hole and neck opening. More complex garments also need to mention things like cuff and collar length and width. You can create one of these sheets by using a standard sizing chart or creating custom body measurements.

Be cautioned that any mistakes made on your Spec Sheet may cost you a great deal of time and money.