What Is a Tech Pack?
A tech pack — short for technical package — is the document your manufacturer needs to produce your garment accurately. Think of it as the blueprint for your product. It communicates every design, material, measurement, and construction detail so that factories know exactly what to make and how to make it.
Without a tech pack, manufacturers are left guessing. And guessing leads to wrong samples, wasted money, and frustrating delays. For fashion startups and emerging brands, a well-prepared tech pack is one of the most important
investments you can make before going to production.
What's Inside a Professional Tech Pack?
Technical Flat Sketches
Also called "flats," these are precise black-and-white technical drawings that show every seam, stitch line, and design detail of your garment — front, back, and any close-up details. They follow industry-standard illustration conventions so manufacturers can't misinterpret your design.
Bill of Materials (BOM)
A complete list of every single material, trim, label, and packaging component needed to produce your garment. This includes fabrics, threads, buttons, zippers, interfacing, hang tags, and care labels. Without a detailed BOM, your manufacturer can't give you an accurate production quote.
Construction Details & Callouts
Every seam type, stitch type, facing, pocket construction, and finishing detail needs to be defined and diagrammed. The fashion industry has agreed-upon standards for seam and stitch types — a good tech pack uses these consistently so there's no room for interpretation.
Construction Details & Callouts
Every seam type, stitch type, facing, pocket construction, and finishing detail needs to be defined and diagrammed. The fashion industry has agreed-upon standards for seam and stitch types — a good tech pack uses these consistently so there's no room for interpretation.
Colorways
A colorways page defines every color option for your garment, referenced by Pantone number or a clear color swatch. This ensures your manufacturer sources the right materials and produces consistent results across your range.
Print, Embroidery & Artwork
If your garment includes any graphic, logo, embroidery, or print, this section specifies the exact placement, size, color, application method, and design file names. Getting this wrong is one of the most common — and costly — production mistakes.
Labels & Packaging
Brand labels, care labels, size labels, and hang tags all need their own specifications: type, size, placement, color, and design files. Packaging instructions — including folding and bagging — are also included here.
Measurement Specs & Point of Measure Diagram
This section provides all the measurements your sample maker needs to cut the first pattern. It includes a Point of Measure (POM) diagram — an industry-standard map of every measurement point on your garment. Even a basic t-shirt has 20+ points of measure.
Sample Evaluation Chart
When your first sample arrives, this chart is how you check it against your specs. It lists every measurement so you can compare what you asked for against what you received — and clearly communicate any corrections to your manufacturer.
Why Can't I Just Skip the Tech Pack?
Most reputable manufacturers won't take your order without one. And the ones that will? They'll make decisions on your behalf — and the results are rarely what you had in mind. A missing or incomplete tech pack is the number one reason fashion startups waste money on bad samples. Every round of sampling costs time and money. A detailed tech pack reduces the number of rounds you need — often dramatically.
It also protects you. If a manufacturer produces something wrong and you have a tech pack on file, you have documentation showing exactly what you asked for.
Can AI Create a Tech Pack for Me?
Not yet — and this is worth being honest about. AI-enabled tech pack tools can produce documents that look like tech packs, but they consistently contain incorrect measurements, missing construction details, and information that frustrates rather than helps manufacturers.
A usable tech pack requires real garment construction knowledge, understanding of manufacturing standards, and the judgment to make decisions that AI simply can't make yet. Until that changes, a human technical designer is still the only reliable option.
What About 3D Design — Do I Need That Too?
Not always, but it's worth considering — especially if you want to see what your garment looks like before committing to a physical sample.
Using CLO3D, I create accurate 3D models of your garment from a digitized sewing pattern. This means you can review the design, request changes, and solve fit issues before a single stitch is sewn. For brands working with overseas manufacturers, it also cuts down on expensive back-and-forth shipping
of physical samples.
The pattern created for the 3D model can be sent directly to your manufacturer — giving them a head start and improving the accuracy of your first physical sample.
How Do I Get Started?
You don't need a finished design to reach out. Most clients come to me with a rough sketch, a reference photo, or just a clear idea of what they want to make. From there, I guide you through everything.
Here's what the process looks like:
1. You fill out a short project form or book a free discovery call
2. We talk through your design, your brand goals, and what you need
3. I send you a quote and timeline
4. Once we kick off, I handle all the technical details — you stay focused on building your brand
5. You receive a complete, factory-ready tech pack (and 3D model if applicable)
6. You go to manufacturers with confidence
A bit about me: I'm Tatyana, a technical fashion designer with 10+ years of experience creating tech packs and 3D designs for fashion startups and emerging brands. I've worked with hundreds of clients across every garment category — and most of my business comes from repeat clients and referrals.