Tech Pack for Clothing Brands: The First-Time Founder's Guide
The first time you email a manufacturer about producing your clothing brand, they'll ask for one thing before anything else: a tech pack. If you don't know what that is, you're in the same spot most first-time founders are. This guide fixes that.
A tech pack is the document your factory reads before cutting fabric. It tells them exactly what to build, in which size, from which fabric, with which construction details, in which colors, with what kind of labels. Without it, manufacturers either refuse to quote or quote wildly inaccurately — and either way, you don't move forward.
Here's everything that goes in one, the mistakes founders make when writing their first, and the routes available for producing one without a fashion-design background.
Need one now? tpack builds factory-ready tech packs in 15 minutes for €15 per pack — built for first-time founders.
Try it free →Why every clothing brand needs a tech pack
A tech pack isn't paperwork. It's the legal and operational spec your factory builds against. It does three things at once:
- It lets factories quote accurately. Without exact fabric, measurements, and construction, any quote you get is a rough guess that will change.
- It defines what counts as “correct.” When a sample comes back with the wrong sleeve length or fabric weight, the tech pack is what you point to.
- It makes your brand reproducible. Six months later when you reorder, the tech pack ensures the next batch matches the first.
Brands that skip the tech pack stage typically lose two to four weeks per sample round and end up paying more in factory revisions than they saved on document prep.
What goes inside a tech pack
Every complete tech pack has six sections. None of them are optional. The order varies by brand but the content is standard across the industry.
Technical flat sketches
Front and back drawings of the garment, drawn flat (not on a body), showing every seam, hem, hardware position, and pocket. These aren't fashion illustrations — they're engineering drawings.
Bill of materials (BOM)
Every material that goes into the garment: main fabric (with GSM, fiber content, weave, treatment), thread colors and specs, labels, trims (zippers, drawcords, eyelets, hardware), and packaging. Each line has a quantity and a reference.
Measurement chart
Finished garment measurements (not body measurements) across every size you're producing. Chest, body length, shoulder width, sleeve length, hem width. Always with tolerances (±0.5 cm for small measurements, ±1 cm for length).
Construction details
Seam types (lockstitch, overlock, cover stitch, flatlock), stitch density (typically 10–12 SPI), hem allowance, neckline rib specs, taping requirements, garment-wash treatment.
Color and print
Pantone references for fabric (TCX codes) and for prints (C or U codes). Exact print placement coordinates. Print method specification: DTG, screen print, plastisol, puff, embroidery.
Labels and packaging
Brand label (placement, material, attachment method), care label (content, language, placement), size label, hangtags, polybag specs.
Five mistakes first-time founders make
These show up across nearly every first tech pack we've seen. Avoiding them saves a sample round (and two to four weeks).
1. No grading specs
Giving one size's measurements and expecting the factory to scale. They'll guess — and they'll guess differently than you would. Always provide measurements for every size.
2. Vague fabric spec
“Cotton” or “soft cotton” means nothing to a factory. The standard format is GSM + fiber + weave + treatment. Example: 240 GSM, 100% combed cotton, ring-spun, jersey knit, garment-washed.
3. Mixed units (cm and inches)
Common when some sections get drafted at different times. Pick one, use it everywhere — including label specs.
4. No tolerances
Without explicit tolerance specs, factories apply their own — often looser than you'd accept. State tolerances upfront and you can reject off-spec samples.
5. Skipping the labels page
Easy to forget because it feels less important. But care labels are legally required in most markets, and brand labels are part of how your product is perceived. Always include them.
DIY vs designer vs AI tool
Three routes to a usable tech pack. The right one depends on your experience, budget, and how many garments you're producing.
| Route | Time | Cost | Knowledge required |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY from free template | 2–4 hours per garment | €0 | High |
| Hire a designer | 3–7 days back-and-forth | €150–€300 | Low (designer fills in) |
| AI tool (tpack) | 15 minutes | €15 / pack | Low (AI fills in) |
More detail on the AI route in our AI tech pack generator guide.
Building one in tpack
A tpack walkthrough for a first-timer takes about 15 minutes:
- Pick your garment type and fit
- Answer guided prompts — fabric, color, print, labels, packaging
- Review the auto-generated technical flat, BOM, and measurement chart
- Edit anything that doesn't match what you want
- Export the PDF and send it to your factory
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a tech pack to get a quote from a factory?
Yes — most reputable factories won't quote without one. Some will give a ballpark, but it's rarely usable for planning. A tech pack is what makes the quote real.
How detailed does my first tech pack need to be?
For a first prototype, the six sections above are enough at a reasonable level of detail. You iterate from the first sample. Going into extreme detail before seeing real fabric usually wastes effort.
Can I send the same tech pack to multiple factories?
Yes — that's actually a smart move. Sending the same tech pack to three or four factories lets you compare quotes apples-to-apples.
What if my factory uses a different template?
Most factories accept any tech pack that contains the standard six sections. A few large manufacturers have their own template they'll ask you to transfer information into — but they can do that from any well-structured PDF.
Do I need separate tech packs per size or per color?
One tech pack covers all sizes (via the grading chart) and all colorways (via the BOM color call-outs). You only need a new tech pack for a meaningfully different garment.
Related guides
- AI Tech Pack Generator → how AI changes the tech pack workflow
- Tech Pack for Oversized T-Shirts → specific guide for the most common first garment
- Tech Pack Template for Streetwear → streetwear-specific conventions and templates