A tech pack for manufacturing is built from five required sections: a flat sketch, a measurement chart, fabric and trim specifications, print or embroidery placement, and colorways, all on one document a factory can quote and sample directly from. Without these five sections, a manufacturer is left guessing at your intent, which is exactly where fit errors, wrong fabric weight and print misplacement come from.
A tech pack is the single document that turns a design idea into a manufacturable spec, and it is the difference between a sample that matches your vision on the first round and one that needs three rounds of guesswork to get right. This guide walks through every section a factory needs, in the order to build them, plus the common mistakes that cause the most rework.
Section one: the flat sketch
A flat sketch is a technical line drawing of the garment from front and back, showing every seam, pocket, panel and construction detail, not a stylized illustration. It should be drawn to proportion, with callouts pointing to specific details, a ribbed cuff, a kangaroo pocket, a dropped shoulder seam, so the pattern maker knows exactly what to build.
If you cannot draw a flat sketch yourself, a reference garment photographed flat from front and back with construction details noted works as a starting point, though a proper vector flat sketch produces a cleaner, faster sampling process. Many manufacturers, including Minku, can help translate a rough sketch or reference photo into a proper flat as part of the tech pack review.
Section two: the measurement chart
The measurement chart lists every key body measurement, chest width, body length, sleeve length, shoulder width, hem width, in a table across your full size range, typically S through XL or more. Each measurement should have a stated tolerance, usually half a centimeter to a centimeter, since a small production tolerance is normal and prevents unnecessary sample rejections over immaterial variance.
Grading between sizes should scale proportionally unless you specifically want a different grading rule, for example a boxier fit that grades width more aggressively than length. State this explicitly in the tech pack rather than assuming the factory will infer your intended grading logic.
| Measurement point | Why it matters | Typical tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| Chest width | Defines fit, boxy vs regular vs oversized | ±1cm |
| Body length | Defines cropped vs standard vs longline | ±1cm |
| Sleeve length | Critical for hoodies and jackets | ±0.5-1cm |
| Shoulder width | Defines drop-shoulder vs set-in sleeve | ±0.5cm |
| Hem/cuff width | Affects silhouette and layering fit | ±0.5cm |
Section three: fabric and trim specification
State the fabric type, cotton jersey, French terry, fleece, and the target GSM range explicitly, since GSM is the objective spec a factory quotes and sources fabric against. A 240 GSM tee and a 400+ GSM hoodie are different products with different costs and different feel, and leaving this unspecified forces the factory to guess your intent.
List every trim: zipper type and color, drawcord material, elastic waistband, ribbing composition, and any hardware. Trims are often overlooked in a first tech pack draft, then become a source of sample mismatch when the factory substitutes a default trim in the absence of a stated spec.
Section four: print, embroidery and placement
Specify the decoration method, screen print, DTG, puff or flat embroidery, all-over print, exactly, since each method has different capability limits and cost structure. State the exact placement in centimeters from a reference point, for example print center 8cm below the collar seam, rather than a vague front-chest instruction that leaves room for interpretation.
Include the artwork file itself at production resolution, along with the intended print size in real dimensions, rather than a mockup thumbnail alone. Our page on screen printing vs DTG covers how to choose the right method for your specific design before finalizing this section.
Section five: colorways
List every intended color version of the garment, with a specific color reference for each, a Pantone code where possible, or a clear physical reference if Pantone is not available. This section tells the factory how many colorways to sample and dye-match, which affects both sampling cost and timeline.
If color accuracy matters to your brand, request a lab dip, a small fabric swatch dyed to your target color and approved before bulk dyeing, for each colorway before bulk production begins. This single step prevents the most common color-related dispute in apparel manufacturing.
Optional but valuable: private label and packaging specs
If your brand includes custom neck labels, woven tags, hangtags or specific packaging, include the exact placement, size and file for each in the tech pack rather than treating it as a separate conversation after the garment sample is approved. Our page on custom labels, tags and packaging covers what to specify for this section.
Common tech pack mistakes that cause rework
Leaving GSM unspecified is the most common mistake, since fabric weight is invisible in a flat sketch but has the largest effect on how the finished garment feels and drapes. Vague print placement instructions are the second most common, causing a factory to guess a position that does not match your intended design.
Missing a tolerance on the measurement chart leads to unnecessary sample rejections over variance that is normal in garment production. And omitting trims, assuming a factory will supply your intended zipper or drawcord by default, frequently results in a sample built with a generic substitute that does not match your vision.
Do you need a full tech pack to get a quote?
A full tech pack is not always required for an initial quote, a factory can often provide a rough estimate from a fabric type, decoration method and quantity alone, but a complete tech pack is required before sampling begins, since a sample cannot be built accurately from a partial spec. Our page on do you need a tech pack to get a quote covers exactly what is required at each stage.
If you do not yet have design experience or software to build a formal tech pack, our guide on how to manufacture clothing without a tech pack covers how a factory can help build one from a reference garment and a rough sketch.
Tools for building a tech pack
Tech packs are commonly built in Adobe Illustrator for the flat sketch and layout, paired with a spreadsheet for the measurement chart and a simple document listing fabric, trim and colorway specifications. Dedicated tech pack software exists and speeds up the process for founders building packs across many styles, but a well-organized set of Illustrator files and spreadsheets is sufficient for a first tech pack.
What matters more than the specific tool is completeness: a factory needs the same five sections regardless of whether they arrive as a polished PDF from dedicated software or a clearly labeled folder of sketches and spreadsheets.
How a tech pack moves through sampling
Once submitted, a manufacturer reviews the tech pack for completeness, asks clarifying questions on anything ambiguous, and quotes sampling based on the fabric, decoration and construction complexity described. The first sample is then built directly against this document, and any revision requests reference specific sections of the tech pack rather than a vague description of what looked wrong.
A tight tech pack typically produces an accurate sample in one or two rounds, while a loose or incomplete one often takes three or more rounds to converge on the intended product, adding both cost and time before bulk production can begin.
Building one tech pack template for multiple styles
Once you have built a complete tech pack for one style, the same template structure, flat sketch, measurement chart, fabric and trim spec, print placement, colorways, applies to every other product in your range, whether you are building out a full custom clothing line or a focused single-category drop. Reusing the template speeds up each additional style, since only the garment-specific details change while the document structure stays consistent.
This consistency also helps a factory quote your full range faster, since every tech pack arrives in a format they already understand, rather than each style requiring the manufacturer to interpret a new, differently organized document.
What a factory does with your tech pack before sampling
Before cutting a sample, a serious manufacturer cross-checks the flat sketch against the measurement chart for internal consistency, confirms the stated fabric GSM is available or sourceable, and flags any print placement or trim detail that is ambiguous. This review stage, done properly, catches errors before they become a physical sample, saving a full sampling round.
Ask whether a manufacturer performs this kind of tech pack review before quoting sampling cost and timeline. A factory that reviews thoroughly upfront, rather than cutting immediately from whatever is submitted, is signaling the same attention to detail that will carry through into your bulk production run.
How Minku uses your tech pack
We review every tech pack for completeness before quoting, flag any missing measurement, fabric or trim detail, and build the first pre-production sample directly against the document you provide. If you are starting from a rough sketch rather than a formal tech pack, we help translate it into a build-ready spec as part of the process.
Ready to send your design? Upload your tech pack or reference sketch through Get Your Custom Quote, or start with our cut-and-sew manufacturing page to see the full production process this document feeds into.
How to Create a Tech Pack for Manufacturing — In Detail
