In life, there are many things that we fail on the first try, but your tech pack should not be one of those things. Why? Let me explain exactly what they are, why they're so important, and what happens if you don’t get them right (Hint: it involves losing a lot of time and money).
What is a Tech Pack
A tech pack is a technical document which outlines all the details of the garment you are wanting to be made, including the design, materials, trims, specifications, prints, colours, and construction.
A tech pack will need to include the following;
- A technical drawings of your garment that clearly shows all of the design details from the front and back, as well as close-ups of any key design elements. These are referred to as fashion flats or CADS and should be done professionally on a computer.
- An accurate bill of materials with the details of all the items that make up your garment, for example, fabric, buttons, zips, elastic, underwire etc. The manufacturer needs to know the colour, size, material and quantity of each. Using photos of what you’re looking for will help them ensure they choose the correct items!
- Colours and print information for all components of your garment.You will need to ensure you have the correct Pantone colours (with TCX, TSX or TN codes) so the manufacturer can accurately match them, and artwork files of your textile print design.
- A specification sheet, which is a list of the key measurements of your design. This can often be the hardest part of a tech pack, but it’s also one of the most important to ensure your garments fit in the way you want them to. Even an extra 1cm on a seam can change your design a lot, so don’t leave it up to guesswork.
- Finally, you need to ensure all of these components are clear and precise, with all diagrams and visuals accurately showing the written information provided. Clear communication with your manufacturer is vital and these visuals help them to easily understand your proposed design.
What can go wrong with your tech pack design
I know the list above can be a little overwhelming, as there's many details that need to be included. This is why tech packs are so important. Even if one detail is wrong, the sample you receive from the manufacturer won’t be how you envisioned it in your head, meaning you are spending more time sampling to get the design right, instead of focusing on your next collection. This also means delays in getting your product to market and losing money if you need to extend the sampling period to allow for extra samples. On average it takes around three samples before a garment is ready for manufacturing however, if your tech pack is not detailed enough at the beginning this can easily stretch out to 4-5 samples, costing you time and money.
If you want to get your products in the hands of your customers as soon as possible with the least amount of stress, then let me help! My tech packs provide you with a fully finished document that includes everything your manufacturer will need.