A tech pack is the written agreement between a brand and a factory about what the garment is. Every question it leaves open becomes a decision the factory makes for you, usually in the way that is quickest or cheapest. A complete tech pack gets you a faster, more accurate quotation and fewer sample rounds.

These are the sections we look for when a tech pack arrives, and what happens when each is missing.

1. Technical flats

Front and back drawings, flat and to scale, with callouts for every seam, pocket, pleat, dart and topstitch. Add close-ups of the collar, cuff, placket or waistband if they have specific construction.

If it’s missing: the sample maker interprets a fashion sketch, and the first sample becomes the drawing.

2. Bill of materials (BOM)

Every component with its specification and placement:

  • Shell fabric: composition, construction or quality reference, weight in GSM, width, finish and colour.
  • Linings, interlinings and fusing: type and weight. Collar and cuff fusing changes how a shirt looks more than almost anything else.
  • Thread: type, ticket size and colour, including contrast topstitch.
  • Trims: buttons (material, size in ligne, holes), zips (type, gauge, puller), elastic, drawcords, rivets, snaps.
  • Labels and packaging: see section 7.

If it’s missing: costing is based on assumptions, and the price changes when you specify the real components.

3. Measurement specification

A table of points of measure (POMs) for the base size with a written description of how each is measured, for example “chest: 1” below armhole, edge to edge”. Include tolerances for every POM. Typical tolerances are ±1 cm on body widths and ±0.5 cm on small details such as collar points, but yours should reflect what matters for your fit.

If it’s missing: two people measuring the same garment get different results, and approval becomes an argument.

4. Grading

Measurements for every size, or the grade rule between sizes. If you use different grade rules for different size ranges, state where they change.

5. Construction details

Seam types (single-needle, felled, French, overlocked), stitches per inch or per cm, seam allowances, hem finishes, buttonhole type and bartack positions. For premium shirting, stitch density is one of the first things a buyer checks.

6. Colour and artwork

Pantone TCX/TPX references or physical colour standards for each colourway, plus artwork files for prints, embroidery and labels in vector format, with placement measured from a fixed point such as “8 cm below HPS, centred”.

7. Labels, tags and packing

Main label, size label, care and content label (wording per market), hangtags, barcodes or stickers, folding method, polybag specification and warnings, carton size and marks, and the assortment per carton.

If it’s missing: goods arrive correct but unsellable because a barcode or care label is wrong.

8. Quantities and dates

Quantity per colour and size, target price, target delivery date and destination. These decide fabric planning and whether a construction is economical.

If you don’t have a full tech pack yet

Start with what you have: a sketch, a reference garment and the fabric you have in mind. A factory with development capability can build the missing sections with you, but each one should be written down and approved before bulk. That is how we work on custom manufacturing projects.