A tech pack — short for technical package — is the comprehensive document that communicates your garment design to a factory. It is the single most important document in the OEM production process. A complete, accurate tech pack is the difference between a correct first sample and multiple rounds of expensive revisions. It eliminates ambiguity, reduces miscommunication, and creates a documented reference point for quality control throughout production.
This guide covers every component of a professional tech pack, how to format each section, and the most common mistakes that lead to incorrect samples and production errors.
What Is a Tech Pack and Why Every Order Needs One
A tech pack is the technical blueprint for a garment — the document that tells a factory exactly how to construct your design. It includes everything from the shape of the silhouette to the specific thread color used for topstitching. Without a complete tech pack, a factory is forced to make assumptions about your design intent, and those assumptions will often be wrong.
The consequences of an incomplete tech pack are predictable: incorrect proportions, wrong fabric, missing construction details, and measurement deviations that require multiple sample revisions. Each revision round adds 5–7 days and sample costs to your timeline. A well-prepared tech pack typically results in a correct first sample within 7 days — an incomplete one can extend the sampling process to 4–6 weeks.
Even if you are working with a factory that offers ODM services (where the factory develops the design from your brief), providing a detailed tech pack for your approved sample ensures that bulk production exactly replicates the approved prototype.
Essential Components of a Tech Pack
A complete tech pack for a woven garment (dress, shirt, trousers) should include the following sections:
| Section | Contents | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Cover Page | Brand name, style name/number, season, date, revision number | PDF header |
| Technical Sketch | Front, back, side views; detail callouts | Vector (AI/EPS) or clean line drawing |
| Measurement Chart | All key measurements by size; tolerance ± | Table (cm or inches) |
| Bill of Materials (BOM) | All materials with specifications | Table |
| Construction Details | Stitch type, seam allowance, hem width, closure details | Annotated sketches + text |
| Colorways | Color names, Pantone references, fabric swatches | Color chips + Pantone codes |
| Label & Packaging | Label placement, care instructions, hang tag specs | Diagrams + text |
| Fit Comments | Notes on intended fit (slim, relaxed, oversized) | Text + reference images |
Technical Sketches: Front, Back, Side, and Detail Views
Technical sketches (also called "flats" or "croquis") are the visual foundation of your tech pack. Unlike fashion illustration, technical sketches are drawn to accurate proportions on a flat, symmetrical figure, showing the garment as it would appear laid flat on a table. They must be clean, precise, and unambiguous.
Every tech pack should include:
- Front view: Full front of the garment, showing all visible construction details (seams, pockets, buttons, topstitching)
- Back view: Full back, showing back seams, closures, and any back details
- Side view: Particularly important for garments with significant side shaping or pockets
- Detail views: Enlarged drawings of complex construction details — collar construction, pocket placement, cuff design, zipper type
Sketches should be created in Adobe Illustrator or a similar vector program for clean, scalable output. If you cannot produce vector sketches, a clean hand drawing photographed in good lighting is acceptable — but vector is strongly preferred by factories.
Measurement Chart: Point of Measure and Tolerance
The measurement chart is the most technically critical section of your tech pack. It specifies the exact dimensions of every key measurement point on the garment, for every size in your size run.
Key measurement points for a dress, for example, include: chest width, waist width, hip width, shoulder width, front length, back length, sleeve length, armhole depth, and hem circumference. Each measurement is taken at a specific "point of measure" (POM) — a defined location on the garment — to ensure consistency between the factory's measurement and yours.
Every measurement should include a tolerance (±) — the acceptable deviation from the spec. Typical tolerances for woven garments:
| Measurement Type | Typical Tolerance |
|---|---|
| Chest / Waist / Hip (circumference) | ± 1.5 cm |
| Length (front / back / sleeve) | ± 1.0 cm |
| Shoulder width | ± 0.5 cm |
| Hem circumference | ± 2.0 cm |
Bill of Materials (BOM)
The BOM is a complete list of every material and component used in the garment, with sufficient specification for the factory to source accurately. A complete BOM includes:
- Shell fabric: Fiber content, weave/knit structure, GSM, width, color, any certification requirements
- Lining fabric: Same specifications as shell fabric
- Interlining: Type (fusible/sew-in), weight, placement
- Thread: Color (Pantone or thread brand reference), weight, stitch type
- Buttons: Size (mm), material, color, number of holes, placement
- Zippers: Brand (YKK preferred), type (invisible/coil/metal), length, color
- Labels: Type (woven/printed/heat transfer), content, placement
- Elastic: Width, stretch percentage, placement
- Packaging: Poly bag size, hang tag specifications, folding instructions
For fabric specifications, reference our fabric sourcing guide for a comprehensive overview of fabric types, weights, and certification standards.
Colorways and Pantone References
Color accuracy is one of the most common sources of production disputes. Verbal color descriptions ("navy blue," "dusty rose") are subjective and will be interpreted differently by different factories. Always specify colors using Pantone Textile Color System (TCX) references — the industry standard for apparel color communication.
For each colorway, specify:
- Pantone TCX code for each fabric and component
- Acceptable color deviation (typically ΔE ≤ 1.5 for standard colors)
- Whether the color must match across different fabric types (e.g., shell and lining must match)
If you do not have Pantone TCX references, provide physical fabric swatches or high-resolution photos in controlled lighting. The factory will match to the swatch rather than a screen color.
Construction Notes
Construction notes specify how the garment is assembled — the technical details that determine quality and durability:
- Stitch type: Lockstitch (301), chain stitch (401), overlock (504), cover stitch (406) — specify by stitch type number
- Stitch density: Stitches per inch (SPI) — typically 10–12 SPI for woven garments
- Seam allowance: Standard is 1.5 cm; specify any deviations
- Hem width: Specify for all hem types (bottom hem, sleeve hem, facing)
- Seam finishing: French seam, flat-felled seam, serged, or bound
- Topstitching: Width, thread color, stitch type
Labeling and Packaging Instructions
Label placement must be specified precisely — a care label sewn in the wrong location is a quality defect. For each label type, specify:
- Label type and content
- Placement (e.g., "center back neck, 1 cm below collar seam")
- Attachment method (sewn, heat-sealed, hang tag with pin)
Packaging instructions should specify folding method, poly bag size, hang tag placement, and carton packing configuration (pieces per carton, carton dimensions).
Common Tech Pack Mistakes to Avoid
The following mistakes consistently result in incorrect samples and production errors:
- Missing measurements: Omitting key measurement points forces the factory to estimate, leading to fit problems
- Vague fabric specifications: "Cotton fabric" without GSM, weave, and fiber content percentage is insufficient
- No Pantone references: Color descriptions without Pantone codes lead to color matching disputes
- Outdated revision numbers: Sending an old version of the tech pack after revisions is a common cause of production errors
- Missing detail views: Complex construction details (collar, pocket, cuff) must be drawn in detail — a front view alone is insufficient
- No tolerance specifications: Without tolerances, the factory has no guidance on acceptable measurement deviation
Send Your Tech Pack to Chanddo for a Free Quote
At Chanddo Apparel, our technical team reviews every tech pack submission within 24 hours and provides detailed feedback on any missing specifications before sampling begins. We accept tech packs in PDF, AI, and DXF formats, and our ODM team can assist brands that need help developing technical documentation from design concepts.
Submit your tech pack for a free quote — or read our guide on how to choose an OEM clothing manufacturer to understand what to look for in a production partner before you begin.
