Tech Pack Essentials for Emerging Fashion Brands

For emerging fashion brands, a tech pack is more than just a document—it’s the key to ensuring that your designs are executed to the highest standard. A well-prepared tech pack helps bridge the gap between your creative vision and the final product. It provides manufacturers with all the technical specifications and details needed to produce your garment exactly as envisioned, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring that you can scale your production efficiently.

Whether you’re designing a one-off collection or planning for your first full production run, understanding what goes into a tech pack is critical to the success of your brand. Here’s a breakdown of the tech pack essentials that every emerging fashion brand should include.

1. Cover Page / General Information

The cover page is the first part of your tech pack. It provides an overview of the garment and key information for the manufacturer. It sets the tone for the entire document.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Brand Name and Collection: Specify the name of your brand and the collection (e.g., Spring/Summer 2025).
  • Style Name and Number: Give each garment a unique name and number for easy identification (e.g., “Style #1234 – Denim Jacket”).
  • Designer’s Name: Include the designer’s name (if it’s different from the brand).
  • Season: Specify the season for which the garment is intended.
  • Product Description: A brief description of the garment’s style, features, and target audience.

2. Flat Sketches / Technical Drawings

Flat sketches are essential for conveying your design visually. These detailed, two-dimensional drawings show your garment from the front, back, and sometimes the side, clearly illustrating its shape, proportions, and key design elements.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Multiple Views: Show at least the front and back views of the garment. Side views are useful for more complex designs, such as outerwear or dresses with side detailing.
  • Detailed Close-ups: If the design includes intricate details, such as stitching, pockets, or embellishments, provide close-up sketches or annotations to show how these elements should be constructed.
  • Construction Details: Use your sketches to highlight important aspects like stitching patterns, trim placement, and fit lines (e.g., where a seam should be or how the garment should sit).

Why It’s Important: Flat sketches provide a visual reference for the manufacturer, reducing the risk of misinterpretation and ensuring that the design is executed correctly.

3. Bill of Materials (BOM)

The Bill of Materials (BOM) lists every material required to create the garment, from the main fabric to the smallest trims. It ensures the manufacturer knows exactly what materials to use and helps them source the right fabrics and components.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Fabric: Specify the type of fabric (e.g., 100% cotton, recycled polyester) and any specific finishes or treatments (e.g., brushed, water-resistant). Include the weight, texture, and color.
  • Trims and Notions: List all accessories and components, such as buttons, zippers, snaps, labels, and threads. Include specific details like material (e.g., brass buttons, polyester thread), size, and color.
  • Supplier Information: If you already have specific suppliers for materials, include their names and contact details. This is especially helpful for the manufacturer to ensure they source from trusted providers.
  • Fabric Swatches: If possible, attach small fabric swatches or color samples to your BOM to ensure the materials are used exactly as intended.

Why It’s Important: A well-detailed BOM prevents material mismatches, helps streamline the sourcing process, and ensures consistency in the final garment.

4. Size Specifications / Size Chart

An accurate size chart is one of the most important sections of your tech pack. It ensures that your garments fit properly across different body types and sizes. For emerging brands, getting sizing right is key to building a loyal customer base.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Body Measurements: List the specific measurements for each size in your range (e.g., XS, S, M, L, XL). Key measurements might include bust, waist, hip, inseam, sleeve length, shoulder width, and length.
  • Garment Measurements: Include garment-specific measurements, such as chest width, waist width, and body length, to ensure that the garment will have the right proportions.
  • Grading Rules: Specify how measurements should change as the sizes increase. For example, you might add 2 inches to the bust measurement for each size increment.

Why It’s Important: An accurate size chart ensures that the final product fits as expected, which is crucial for customer satisfaction. It also helps manufacturers produce garments with the correct proportions for each size.

5. Construction Details

Construction details outline how the garment should be assembled. This includes stitching, seams, and any other special construction techniques. Precise instructions help the manufacturer achieve the desired quality and fit.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Seam Types: Specify the type of seams (e.g., overlock, French seams) and any finishes (e.g., topstitching or binding).
  • Stitching Details: Provide information about the stitching (e.g., single-needle, double-needle) and thread specifications (e.g., 100% cotton thread, color).
  • Construction Notes: Include notes on any special techniques, such as pleating, gathering, or dart placement.
  • Labeling and Tagging: Provide details on where brand labels, care labels, and size tags should be placed on the garment.

Why It’s Important: This section ensures that the manufacturer produces the garment exactly as you envisioned it, with high-quality finishes and consistent details across the entire production run.

6. Fit and Production Notes

Fit and production notes offer additional details about how the garment should feel and function. This section helps the manufacturer understand your expectations in terms of comfort, durability, and overall appearance.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Fit Instructions: Specify the desired fit of the garment (e.g., slim fit, oversized, relaxed). Include how you want the garment to fit on different body areas (e.g., chest, waist, hip).
  • Fabric Behavior: If the fabric has special characteristics (e.g., shrinkage, stretch), note these in the tech pack. This ensures the manufacturer knows how to handle the fabric during production.
  • Production Guidelines: Provide timelines, deadlines, and any specific milestones that need to be met throughout the production process (e.g., sampling, approvals, and final delivery).

Why It’s Important: Fit and production notes ensure that the garment not only looks great but also functions well and meets your desired standards in terms of comfort and practicality.

7. Quality Control Guidelines

To ensure that the final product meets your brand’s quality standards, include quality control guidelines in your tech pack. This section helps the manufacturer understand the specific criteria the garment needs to meet at various stages of production.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Inspection Points: Specify areas that should be closely inspected (e.g., stitching quality, fabric defects, zipper functionality).
  • Tolerances: Include acceptable tolerances for measurements (e.g., “the waist measurement can vary by +/- 0.5 inches”).
  • Testing: If necessary, include any fabric tests that need to be conducted (e.g., color fastness, shrinkage testing).

Why It’s Important: Quality control guidelines help prevent mistakes and ensure that every garment produced meets the brand’s quality expectations, reducing the chances of defects or returns.

8. Packaging and Shipping Instructions

The final step in the tech pack involves packaging and shipping details. These instructions guide the manufacturer on how the finished garments should be packaged and prepared for shipment.

Key Elements to Include:

  • Garment Folding: Specify how the garment should be folded or hung.
  • Packaging Materials: Indicate whether the garment should be packed in plastic, cardboard boxes, or biodegradable packaging.
  • Labeling for Shipping: Provide any labeling instructions for shipping boxes (e.g., barcode labels, product ID tags).

Why It’s Important: Proper packaging protects the garment during transit and ensures that it reaches customers in pristine condition. Packaging is also an important part of the branding experience.

Final Thoughts

For emerging fashion brands, creating a detailed tech pack is essential to successfully scale production and ensure high-quality garments. By including all the key elements outlined above, you provide your manufacturer with the tools and information needed to produce garments that match your vision. A well-prepared tech pack not only ensures consistency and quality but also helps you build strong relationships with manufacturers, reduce production errors, and ultimately create products your customers will love.