A tech pack is the instruction manual for a garment. Every gap in it becomes a question from the factory, a guess, or an extra sample round. These eight sections cover what a factory needs to sample and produce a style correctly.
The basics
- Flat sketches, front and back. Technical drawings, not mood images, with callouts for details such as pockets, plackets and topstitching.
- Measurement specification. Every point of measure, how to measure it, the base-size value and the tolerance (for example ±1 cm).
- Fabric. Composition, weight or GSM, construction, colour standard and any performance requirements, such as shrinkage or colour fastness.
- Trims. Buttons, zips, labels, thread and interlining, each with size, colour, supplier and placement.
The ones that get forgotten
- Size range and grading rules. How each measurement changes between sizes. Without it, the factory guesses the grade.
- Construction details. Stitch types, seam types, stitches per inch and seam allowances.
- Wash and finishing. Wash recipe or standard, pressing and any special finishes.
- Packing and labelling. Folding, polybag, carton size, ratio per carton and label positions.
Version control matters. Put a version number and date on every tech pack, and send the factory a short list of what changed. Most sampling mistakes come from someone working on an old version.
Writing sample comments that get fixed
- Use the same points of measure as the spec sheet.
- Give the measured value, the target and the difference.
- Add a photo with the problem marked.
- Keep every round’s comments in one history, not scattered across emails.
If you need patterns made from your tech pack, our group company Pattern Lab India does digital pattern making and grading.
ATI Sutra
Keep every sample round in one place
Our sampling trackers keep tech packs, comments, measurements and approvals in one history per style.