The fashion and activewear industry is an intricate blend of creativity, precision, and collaboration. At the heart of successful sportswear production is the fashion tech pack, a crucial document that ensures your vision comes to life exactly as you imagined.
If you’re an emerging sportswear designer or a seasoned professional, mastering the creation of a tech pack is essential. This guide will walk you through the steps of creating a detailed and effective fashion tech pack.
What is a Tech Pack?
A fashion tech pack is a blueprint for your garment. It’s a comprehensive document that communicates every detail of a design to the manufacturer, ensuring that the final product aligns with your specifications. The tech pack typically includes technical sketches, measurements, materials, colours, trims, and other important details necessary for production.
Why is a Tech Pack Important?
- Clear Communication: It eliminates misunderstandings by providing clear, precise instructions to manufacturers.
- Cost Efficiency: Reduces the likelihood of errors during production, which can be costly to fix.
- Consistency: Ensures that every piece produced matches the original design, maintaining quality and brand consistency. You nominate the fabrics and therefore performance so there is no doubt about how your garments will perform.
- Professionalism: Demonstrates your seriousness and professionalism, making it easier to work with reputable manufacturers.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Fashion Tech Pack
1. Start with a Detailed Flat 2D Sketch
The foundation of any tech pack is the flat sketch of your garment, sometimes referred to as a technical drawing. Unlike fashion illustrations, which are stylised and artistic, flat sketches are simple, two-dimensional line drawings that clearly depict the garment from various angles.
- Front and Back Views: Always include front and back views of the garment. Garments that are very detailed then create close up views and a side profile too.
- Details: Highlight all details such as seams, darts, pockets, zippers, and other construction elements such as type of stitching. Every design feature should be visible and clearly labelled.
Tools: Adobe Illustrator is the industry standard for creating flat sketches, but other software like CorelDRAW or hand-drawing (for those skilled) can also be used.
Quality factories expect these technical designs to be perfect. Do not supply photos of existing garments with your logo on them. We get tech packs from start-up entrepreneurs that think this will cut it. It won’t.
2. Create a Bill of Materials (BOM)
The BOM is a detailed list of all materials needed to create the garment. This includes fabrics, linings, trims, labels, threads, and any other components.
- Fabrics: Provide specifics about the fabric type, composition, colour, and supplier information. Do not simply list the fibre content and weight. This is like telling a builder the front door is wood.
- Trims: Include details on zippers, buttons, labels, tags, and any other non-fabric elements. These all need to be nominated too with contact details of each supplier and the quality codes and references.
- Labelling: Describe the placement, size, and content of care labels and brand labels. Succesfull brands would look to create a separate tech pack for each item of trim that is then sourced with a specific trim supplier rather than a factory to develop.
If you are looking for a tech pack format to simply complete with your information, please see a Tech Pack Template here.
3. Define the Construction Details
Construction details guide the manufacturer on how to assemble the garment. This section includes information on stitching, seam allowances, finishing, and any special construction techniques.
- Stitching: Specify the type of stitches (e.g., overlock, topstitch) and stitch per inch (SPI). This should be sketched accurately on the 2D sketch.
- Seam Allowances: Clearly indicate the seam allowances for different parts of the garment.
- Special Instructions: Any unique construction elements, like pleats or gathers, should be described in detail. Measurements also advisable.
Example:
- Stitch Type: Overlock with 5 threads. Specify the specific thread if stretch seams are required.
- Seam Allowance: 1 cm for all seams, except for the hem where it is 2 cm.
- Special Instructions: Add a 5 cm vent at the centre back hem. Show detailed view of construction and any specific stitching required and also the direction of the vent.
4. Develop a Measurement Specification (Spec) Sheet
The measurement spec sheet is a table that lists all the critical measurements of the garment, which is vital for ensuring the correct fit.
- Key Measurements: Include measurements like chest width, waist width, sleeve length, inseam, and others specific to the garment type.
- Tolerance: Provide acceptable variations (tolerance) for each measurement to account for minor production discrepancies.
It is recommended that a diagram to show how and where you are taking measurements from are included with the tech pack so the factory are clear on how to cut the patterns.
Example:
| Measurement Point | Size S | Size M | Size L | Tolerance | |||
| Chest Width | 48 cm | 50 cm | 52 cm | +/- 0.5 cm | |||
| Sleeve Length | 60 cm | 62 cm | 64 cm | +/- 0.5 cm | |||
5. Include Colourways and Artwork
If your design includes multiple colour options or prints, this section will detail those.
- Colourways: List the colour codes (e.g., Pantone) for each colourway of the garment.
- Prints and Embroidery: If your garment includes any artwork like prints, embroidery, or screen printing, include high-resolution artwork files and placement details.
Provide CAD drawings of each colourway too so the factory have a visual picture to follow.
Example:
- Colour 1: Pantone 19-4006 TPG (Jet Black)
- Colour 2: Pantone 18-1764 TPG (Fiery Red)
- Print: Include a 300 DPI file of the print with precise placement on the garment.
PANTONE – This is a worldwide service for designers to recognise a colour via a code
6. Add a Size Grading Chart
The size grading chart shows how the measurements should be adjusted across different sizes. This is particularly important for ensuring that the fit remains consistent across all sizes.
Understand the typical grade within your industry and territory as grading isn’t usually standard across all countries and types of sportswear.
If you are grading over 6 sizes, then specific grade rules need to be followed that represent the wearer. For instance, a size XXXL may not increase as much in height as typically a XXXL person isn’t necessarily taller that someone who is a standard Large.
- Grading Rules: Provide the grading rules for each measurement, specifying how much to add or subtract for each size.
Example:
- Chest Width: Add 2 cm per size increment.
- Sleeve Length: Add 1 cm per size increment.
7. List Additional Notes and Instructions
This section is for any additional information that doesn’t fit into the previous categories but is crucial for the production process.
- Packaging Instructions: Provide details on how the garment should be packed and labelled for shipping.
- Inspection Standards: Outline the quality control standards that must be met before the garment is approved.
- Shipping Details: Specify the shipping method and delivery deadlines.
Final Tips for Creating an Effective Fashion or Sportswear Tech Pack
- Be Clear and Concise: Avoid ambiguous language and provide as much detail as necessary to prevent misunderstandings. Don’t leave key information for the factory to source or complete.
- Use Visuals: Supplement written instructions with visuals wherever possible. Visuals make the tech pack easier to understand.
- Review and Revise: Before sending the tech pack to the manufacturer, review it thoroughly. Consider having someone else check it as well to catch any mistakes you might have missed.
- Keep It Updated: If there are any changes during the production and sampling process, update the tech pack accordingly to ensure everyone is on the same page. This is also helpful if you need to produce a repeat order or switch factory in the future.
Creating a fashion tech pack may seem daunting at first, but it is an essential skill for anyone in the fashion industry. Your tech pack needs to be well crafted to guarantee that your design is accurately produced but also saves time, reduces costs, and fosters better communication with your manufacturer. By following this guide, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of creating effective fashion tech packs, setting the foundation for a successful and smooth production process.
Remember, the more detailed and clear your tech pack, the closer your final product will be to your creative vision.
If you are looking for a tech pack format to simply complete with your information, please see a Tech Pack Template here. Buy our loaded tech packs here
