Tech pack basics
What is a tech pack?
A tech pack (technical package) is the complete set of specifications a factory needs to manufacture a garment correctly, technical flats, points of measure, a bill of materials, construction and finishing details, and labeling. It is the single source of truth between a designer and a factory.
What a tech pack contains
A production-ready tech pack removes ambiguity so a factory can quote, sample, and produce without guessing. Most tech packs include the following components:
- Technical flats, front, back, and detail views drawn to proportion.
- Points of measure (POM), the measurement spec and size chart.
- Bill of materials (BOM), fabrics, trims, closures, thread, and labels.
- Construction & finishing details, seams, stitches, hems, and callouts.
- Colorways, artwork placement, and labeling / packaging instructions.
- Grading, how each measurement scales across the size range.
Why tech packs matter
Every handoff between design and production introduces translation risk. A missing measurement, an unstated stitch type, or an ambiguous trim leads to wrong samples, extra revision rounds, and blown timelines. A clear tech pack compresses that cycle: the factory reads intent directly instead of interpreting screenshots and chat threads.
For small brands and independent designers, that difference is decisive, it's the gap between a clean first sample and three rounds of costly back-and-forth.
Building a tech pack with SpecForm OS
SpecForm OS turns a garment photo or sketch into a structured tech pack: technical flats, photorealistic 3-view renders, AI-suggested measurement points, BOM drafts, and construction callouts, all editable before export. It distinguishes observed structure from inferred detail and keeps human review at every step, so the output is a starting draft you refine, not a black-box result.
Who uses a tech pack
A tech pack is a shared contract, so several people read it. The designer authors intent, a technical designer validates construction and measurements, and the factory's pattern and sample rooms work directly from the spec. Sourcing and merchandising teams use the bill of materials to cost the style and place fabric and trim orders.
Because everyone reads the same document, ambiguity anywhere becomes a problem everywhere. That is why a clear, complete pack pays for itself across the whole chain, not just at the factory.
Tech pack vs spec sheet vs line sheet
These terms get mixed up. A tech pack is the full manufacturing package for one style. A spec sheet usually means just the measurement portion, the points of measure and size chart. A line sheet is a sales document listing styles, colors, and wholesale prices for buyers, with no construction detail at all.
In short: a line sheet sells the garment, a spec sheet measures it, and a tech pack builds it.
Common tech pack mistakes
Most failed first samples trace back to a handful of avoidable gaps. Watching for these removes the majority of costly revision rounds:
- Missing or unlabeled points of measure, so the factory guesses fit.
- A bill of materials without fiber content, supplier, or placement, which stalls costing.
- Stitch and seam types left unstated, so construction is interpreted, not specified.
- No grading rules, so the size range drifts off the sample size.
- Colorways and artwork placement described in prose instead of shown on the flat.
- Sending screenshots and chat threads in place of a single source of truth.
FAQ
Common questions
What is a tech pack in fashion?
A tech pack is the technical document a brand gives a factory to manufacture a garment. It specifies the technical flats, measurements and size chart, bill of materials, construction and finishing details, colorways, and labeling, everything needed to sample and produce the style accurately.
What should a tech pack include?
At minimum: technical flats (front/back/detail), a points-of-measure chart, a bill of materials, construction and stitch details, colorways and artwork placement, grading, and labeling/packaging notes.
How do I make a tech pack quickly?
Tools like SpecForm OS generate tech packs from a garment photo or sketch, producing technical flats, measurement annotations, BOM drafts, and construction callouts you can review and export, instead of drawing each spec manually.
Do I need a tech pack to get a sample made?
For anything beyond a rough proto, yes. A factory can attempt a sample from photos, but without measurements, materials, and construction detail the result reflects their assumptions, not yours. A tech pack is what makes the first sample match your intent.
How much does a tech pack cost?
Hiring a freelance technical designer typically runs from around £150 to £800 per style depending on complexity. Building it yourself in a spreadsheet is cheaper but slower and more error-prone. AI tools like SpecForm OS sit in between: a first-pass pack in minutes that you refine.
Is there a tech pack template?
Templates exist, but a template is still an empty form you fill in by hand for every style. SpecForm OS drafts the flats, measurements, and bill of materials from a garment reference, so you edit and confirm instead of starting from a blank sheet each time.
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