How to Get Started With a Tech Pack: Part 1 for Brands

Time to read: 3 minutes

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Taking your apparel concept from a rough idea to a factory-ready garment can feel like a massive leap. Many clothing brand founders know they need a tech pack to start manufacturing, but they often stare at a blank screen wondering exactly what information they need to gather before reaching out to a technical designer.

The good news? You do not need to have everything perfectly figured out to get started. Building a tech pack is a collaborative process. However, coming to the table with a few foundational elements will drastically speed up your timeline, reduce your development costs, and ensure your final blueprint is incredibly accurate.

Before you begin building your tech pack or booking a consultation, here are the top three basic items you should have ready.

1. Your Core Design and Market Strategy

Before a technical designer can draft your garment, they need to understand exactly what your product looks like, how it functions, and who it is for. This goes beyond just the aesthetic; it is about the business strategy behind the garment.

The Visual Concept

What does your garment look like? A super rough sketch is perfectly fine—even a messy scribble on a napkin is helpful to see! Do not worry if you are not an artist; your technical designer will take your concept and redraw it into a proportional, black-and-white technical flat shown laid out. This vector drawing will serve as the visual foundation of your tech pack.

Target Market and Price Point

Which market segment are you targeting, and what is your anticipated retail price point? This is a critical piece of information that many founders overlook. Knowing your target price helps your technical designer make informed, reverse-engineered choices about what materials, construction methods, and finishes to recommend. A luxury piece requires entirely different finishing techniques than a budget-friendly streetwear staple.

Details and Branding

Be prepared to discuss the finer details. If your garment requires specific embellishments (like embroidery, screen printing, or custom hardware), or if you have specific branding requirements (like woven neck labels, care tags, and custom polybag packaging), gather those ideas early.

2. Your Fabric and Material Direction

The type of fabric you choose will have a massive effect on what your product looks like, how it feels against the skin, and how it holds up to daily wear. In fact, this is such a critical design decision that it should ideally be made before you have even fully finalized the silhouette of your product!

Fabric Dictates Function

Different fabrics behave in entirely different ways on the sewing floor. A heavyweight structured denim requires different seam allowances, machinery, and tension settings than a lightweight, four-way stretch activewear knit.

Composition and Weight

You need to think about your ideal fabric composition (e.g., 100% cotton, a poly-spandex blend, etc.) and your preferred fabric weight, usually measured in GSM (grams per square meter). If you are unsure about the exact metrics, having a general idea of the "feel" you want will allow your technical designer to guide you toward the right industry standards.

Trims and Hardware

Once your primary fabric is locked in, your technical designer can advise you on the appropriate trims and complementary components. For example, a heavy fleece hoodie will require a much sturdier zipper and heavier drawcords than a lightweight windbreaker. Knowing your fabric first allows the rest of the Bill of Materials (BOM) to fall perfectly into place.

3. A Fit Sample or Prototype

It is incredibly difficult to pull accurate garment measurements out of thin air. To create a precise size chart, you need a physical baseline. This is where a fit sample comes in.

What is a Fit Sample?

This is a physical garment you can send to your technical designer in the mail that represents the general size, shape, and drape of your design. Your sample does not have to be custom-made. In fact, many successful founders simply buy an existing garment from a retail shop that fits exactly the way they want their new product to fit.

Matching the Material

For the most accurate results, your reference sample should be made from a similar fabric to your intended design. A fit sample made from rigid cotton will not provide helpful measurements if your actual design is going to be made from a highly elastic spandex blend.

Establishing Your Base Size

Your technical designer will use this physical sample to measure and create the initial dimensions for your tech pack. From there, they will grade (scale) the measurements up and down to create all the sizes your product will come in.

If possible, your physical sample should represent the size that sits right in the middle of your planned size range. For example, if your brand's size range will be XS, S, M, L, and XL, the ideal fit sample to send would be a medium. This ensures the grading remains mathematically balanced as the pattern scales up and down.

Getting a Tech Pack from Tech Packs Co

Preparation is the ultimate key to a smooth manufacturing run. By gathering your visual ideas, your fabric preferences, and a reliable physical fit sample, you give your technical designer the exact tools they need to build a flawless, factory-ready blueprint.

Ready to turn your concept into a reality?

At Tech Packs Co, we specialize in transforming your ideas into comprehensive technical documentation that your factory will understand immediately. The topics covered in this article outline exactly what we will go over during your initial consultation.

You can show us your samples, discuss your fabrics, and share your sketches directly when we chat on video.

Book a call with our team today to take control of your production timeline.

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