By: Artun Duzay · Updated:
Tech pack guide: how to make the file a factory needs to quote and sew your sample
A tech pack holds everything needed to make a product: flats, measurements, materials, colors, prints and labels. This guide shows an independent designer or student how to build one section by section, and what a factory expects to find in it.
What is a tech pack, and what is it for?
A tech pack is the file that explains how a product is made. A factory quotes from it and sews the sample from it. It is the shared language between you and the factory: what was said on a call gets forgotten, what is in the tech pack stays.
A good tech pack is clear enough for someone who has never seen the garment to sew it right. A weak one raises questions, and every question is an email, every misunderstanding another sample round. So it needs to be complete and consistent, not pretty.
A tech pack is never finished in one go. It starts as a draft before the first sample, changes after every fitting and reaches its final form at production approval. The steps here are for building that first draft and keeping it tidy afterwards.
What is included in a tech pack?
Layouts differ from factory to factory, but the contents are largely the same. The table lists the usual sections and the question each one answers.
| Section | Contents | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | Style name and number, season, category, base size, date, revision number, contact | Which product, and which version of the file? |
| Flats | Front and back views at one scale, plus detail drawings | What does it look like? |
| Construction callouts | Stitch types, topstitching, seam finishes, darts and pleats, linked to the drawing | How is it sewn? |
| Spec sheet | Points of measure, how to measure them, base size values, tolerances | What size is it? |
| Grading | How measurements change across sizes | What about the other sizes? |
| Bill of materials (BOM) | Fabric, lining, interlining, buttons, zippers, thread, labels, packaging; supplier, reference, color, quantity | What gets bought? |
| Colorways | Which component is which color in each colorway | Which colors is it made in? |
| Print and embroidery | Artwork, size, placement, technique, colors | Where does the print go, and how? |
| Labels and packaging | Main label, size and care labels, hangtag, folding, polybag | How is it labeled and packed? |
| Revision log | The date, content and source sample of every change | What changed, and when? |
No flats yet? Start with the photo to flat sketch guide; the rest of the tech pack builds on that drawing.
How to make a tech pack, step by step
You can build a tech pack in a spreadsheet, in a vector program or in both. Whatever the tool, the order is the same: define the product, then how it is made, then how it is delivered.
Set up the cover page
Write the style name and number, season, category and base size. Add the date and the revision number. Keep the style number identical on every page and in every file name; factories match files by it.
Place the flats
Put the front and back views side by side at one scale. Add enlarged drawings for small details like pockets, collars or closures. Keep the flats free of color and shading; color has its own section.
Link construction callouts to the drawing
Give every note a code and point it at its spot with an arrow. Name the stitch type or give its ISO 4915 number (301 lockstitch, 504 overlock). State topstitch spacing, stitch density and how edges are finished.
Write the spec sheet
Give every point of measure a code and a short description: from where to where, laid flat or not, half or full circumference. Add the base size value and the tolerance. The next section covers this in detail.
Add the grading
Write how much each measurement changes from size to size. If a pattern maker grades the style, include their table and note where it came from.
List the bill of materials
Write everything that gets bought, from fabric to polybag, one row each: what it is, supplier, reference code, color and quantity per garment. For fabric, add fiber content, weight and width.
Define the colorways
For each colorway, give the color of the body fabric, lining, buttons, thread, zipper and print separately. Define colors by a code in a color system or by an approved fabric swatch; a screen color alone isn't enough.
Specify print, labels and packaging
Give the print's size and placement in measurements. Write each label's content and where it is sewn, and how the garment is folded and packed.
Start the revision log
End the file with a revision table: number, date, change, requested by. Save the file under a new revision number at every change, so only one current version circulates.
Spec sheet and grading: points of measure, tolerances, sizes
The spec sheet is the most misread part of a tech pack. A measurement only works when it says how it is taken. “Chest 52” says nothing; it means something once you note how far below the armhole it is measured, laid flat, as a half measurement.
- Point of measure (POM). Each measurement's code, name and description. The starting point is often the high point shoulder (HPS), center front or center back.
- Base size. The size the sample is sewn in. Every measurement is written for it first.
- Tolerance. How far the measurement may vary, minus and plus. Large girths usually get wider tolerances than small details.
- Grading. How each measurement changes between sizes. Some change every size; others, such as pocket height, stay the same across several.
- Unit. Pick one unit and state it at the top. Mixing centimeters and inches in one tech pack is a classic mistake.
| Code | Point of measure and how to measure | Base size | Tolerance | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Chest: below the armhole, laid flat, half measurement | Base size value | Minus / plus value | Change per size |
| B | Body length: from the high point shoulder to the hem | Base size value | Minus / plus value | Change per size |
| C | Sleeve length: from the shoulder seam to the cuff edge | Base size value | Minus / plus value | Change per size |
These are finished garment measurements, not body measurements. Body measurements build the pattern; the spec sheet gives the values measured on the table once the garment is sewn. When the sample arrives, measure the same points and flag every row outside tolerance.
In Stiloir
On a web board, Pattern from measurements drafts a basic block for trousers, a skirt, a dress or a top. You pick a Base size and Pattern sizes; Stiloir grades the measurements from the base size in fixed steps and puts a measurement table by size beside the pattern. Change a cell and Revise with these measurements redraws the pattern for free; the pattern downloads as DXF (AAMA or ASTM) and a 1:1 PDF. That table shows the measurements the pattern is drafted from; you still write the finished garment's points of measure and tolerances. Patterns use credits, and the app asks before spending them. More in the pattern from measurements guide.
Bill of materials (BOM): fabric, trims, labels, packaging
The bill of materials tells the factory what to buy and how to cost it. Anything missing from it either isn't bought or gets swapped for the factory's own pick. Both mean a surprise in the sample.
| Field | What to write | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Fabric, lining, interlining, trim, thread, label, packaging | Costing and buying are split by it |
| Item | What it is: a four-hole button, an invisible zipper | The wrong part isn't bought |
| Supplier and reference | The supplier's name and their product code | The same item can be found again |
| Specification | Fabric: fiber content, weight and width; button: size; zipper: length and tooth type | Price and sewing depend on it |
| Color | Its color in each colorway | Colorways don't get mixed up |
| Quantity | Pieces, meters or grams per garment | Cost and order quantities are worked out |
| Placement | Where it goes on the garment | It matches the construction callouts |
Don't forget the labels: main label, size label, care and fiber content label, country of origin where needed, and the hangtag. Fiber content and care instructions are regulated in many markets; check the rules of the country you sell in. For packaging, give the fold, polybag, hanger and carton.
Colorways and print placement
A colorway is another color scheme of the same style. Give each colorway its own row or column and state the color of every component: body, lining, buttons, thread, zipper, print colors. “Navy” isn't a color, it's a guess; define colors by a code in a color system or by a swatch you approved. Before the fabric is dyed, ask for a lab dip to approve the color.
Print and embroidery need four things: the artwork file, its real size, its placement and its technique. Measure the placement from a reference point, such as so many centimeters down from the high point shoulder and across from center front. Name the technique (screen print, digital print, transfer or embroidery) and the number of colors. For an allover print, give the size of the repeat on the fabric and its layout.
In Stiloir
On a web board, select an image and open Colorways: choose the garment pieces to change and up to five colors, with the colors of the board's palettes offered first. Each variant lands beside the source, labeled with its color name and hex code; each color is one Standard image generation (4 credits). Print repeat makes a tile at the repeat size you set in centimeters, prepared at 300 dpi, plus a 3×3 preview, from a motif (Straight, Half-drop, Half-brick or Mirror) or a fabric photo; its label gives the size and dpi. A motif repeat, and regular patterns like checks and stripes cut at whole repeats, use no credits; for other textures AI repairs the seams (4 credits). With a model and a print selected, Apply print to model places the print on the pieces you choose only. These images help you decide: color approval still needs a lab dip, and placement still needs a check on the pattern. For the color plan, see the collection color palette guide.
What does a factory need to quote and sample?
A quote and a sample are different requests and need different information. To quote, a factory needs to understand the labor and materials involved. To sample, it needs a tech pack complete enough to sew from.
| Information | For a quote | For a sample |
|---|---|---|
| Flats | Front and back are enough | With detail drawings |
| Fabric | Fiber content, weight, width; who sources it | The fabric itself or an approved swatch |
| Trims | Type and count | Supplier, reference, color and size |
| Measurements | Size range | The full base size spec sheet with tolerances |
| Construction | Difficult or special operations, such as blind stitching, binding or a wash | Every construction callout |
| Print and embroidery | Technique, size, number of colors | Artwork and measured placement |
| Quantities and dates | Estimated quantity per color and size, delivery date | How many samples, in which size, by when |
| Labels and packaging | Label and packaging type | Label files and positions |
If you have a target price and quantity, say so up front. The factory will talk minimum order quantity (MOQ) and price breaks from there. Always record which revision of the tech pack a quote was based on.
Revision log and sample comments
Every sample round changes the tech pack. The proto sample tests the design, the fit sample the measurements, the pre-production sample the final materials and sewing. After each round, write your comments into the tech pack and raise the revision number.
- Write comments by point of measure code and in numbers, like “A: 1.5 cm tight, let out 1 cm”. “A bit loose” isn't a comment.
- Photograph the sample, mark the problem area and attach it to the comment.
- Show every changed row in the revision table: old value, new value, date.
- Mark the approved version clearly. Production should run on that version only.
In Stiloir
On a web board, Save version in Versions keeps the board as it is now under a name you choose, so you can return to it. In the iPad app's tech pack, every save raises the revision number printed on the PDF cover, and an approval snapshot keeps a record of which version was reviewed that can't be changed.
Common tech pack mistakes
Most of these show up when the sample arrives, not while you write. Check the tech pack against this list before you send it.
- The drawing and the measurements disagree. The flat shows a skirt above the knee; the spec sheet gives a length below it.
- No measuring method. Half or full circumference, laid flat or not, measured from where: unclear.
- No tolerances. The factory either treats every deviation as a fault or ignores them all.
- “Same as reference” notes. A reference photo carries no measurements or materials; write what you want.
- No back view. The center back seam, back pockets or zipper position are left to guesswork.
- No thread or trim colors. Colorways arrive in the right fabric with the wrong thread.
- Mixed units. Centimeters on one page, inches on the next.
- Labels and packaging forgotten. The garment is ready but can't go on sale.
- More than one current version. Files without a revision number or date circulate by email.
Tech packs in Stiloir: what it does and doesn't do
Stiloir is a fashion research and design app for the web, iPhone and iPad. It has tools for some sections, and you export the tech pack itself with Review and handoff, on a web board or in the iPad app. The app works in English and Turkish; names below are the English ones.
| Section | In Stiloir | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Flats | Flat sketch turns a photo into a flat sketch, with a back view via Also draw the back (4 or 8 credits); Convert drawing to SVG is free | Web board |
| Spec sheet | Garment measurements in Review and handoff: code, name, value, unit, minus and plus tolerance; one value per row | Web board and iPad |
| Grading | Pattern from measurements drafts a block graded from a base size to the chosen sizes, with a measurement table | Web board |
| Construction callouts | Construction: code, title and instruction, optionally linked to a point on the canvas | Web board and iPad |
| Bill of materials | Bill of materials: Material, Trim, Packaging or Other; supplier, reference, color, quantity | Web board and iPad |
| Colorways | Colorways tries colors on an image (4 credits per color); the Style / color / size matrix lists variants by code | Web board and iPad |
| Print repeat makes a repeat sized in centimeters; Apply print to model shows a placement proposal | Web board | |
| Labels and packaging | No section of their own; add labels as Trim rows and packaging as Packaging rows in the bill of materials | Web board and iPad |
| Revisions | Named versions in Versions; a revision number and approval snapshots in the tech pack | Web and iPad |
Limits
The Review and handoff tech pack export turns the data you enter into an orderly file. It doesn't fill in values for you, puts no drawings in the PDF, and doesn't replace sample or production approval. The Stiloir PDF under Export is a board presentation, not a tech pack.
Export a tech pack on iPad, step by step
Review and handoff is in Stiloir's iPad app on the App Store; on iPhone, boards open as a preview only. The tech pack is made on the device and uses no credits. The same sections are on a web board under Board actions › Review and handoff; on the web the PDF, JSON and CSV download as one .zip file.
Put the flats on a board
Make flats with Flat sketch on the web or draw them with Apple Pencil on iPad. Sign in with the same account and your web boards are in the iPad Boards list too.
Open Review and handoff
Tap the board's title and choose Review and handoff. Stiloir saves the board as it is now as a version. Select a drawing before you open it, and Pin the selection in Review starts a discussion tied to that spot.
Fill in Specification
In Garment measurements, enter each point of measure's code, name, value, unit (mm, cm or inch) and minus and plus tolerance. Add notes under Construction and fabric, trim and packaging rows under Bill of materials. Leave unknown values empty and mark them Unverified or Estimated; Stiloir never turns a missing value into zero.
Fill in Handoff and save
In the Style / color / size matrix, enter each variant's style code, color code and name, size and, if you like, SKU. In the Line sheet, add colorways, sizes and wholesale and retail prices. Tap Save; every save raises the tech pack's revision number.
Check Readiness
Readiness lists errors and warnings. Export stays off while there are errors; warnings are printed at the end of the file.
Freeze an approval snapshot
In Review, choose a decision (Awaiting review, Approved or Changes requested), enter the reviewer's name and tap Freeze current snapshot. The record keeps which version was reviewed.
Export and share
Tap Create PDF + JSON + CSV, then Share tech pack. The PDF is for reading, the JSON is versioned data, the CSV opens in a spreadsheet. Every unverified or estimated value is flagged in the files. The PDF has no drawings: export your flats from Export on the web as SVG or PNG and send them with the tech pack.
Frequently asked
What is included in a tech pack?
A cover (style number, season, base size, revision), front and back flats, construction callouts, a spec sheet with points of measure and tolerances, grading, a bill of materials (fabric, trims, thread, labels, packaging), colorways, print and embroidery placement, labels and packaging, and a revision log. Every page should carry the same style number and none should contradict another.
Is a tech pack the same as a technical drawing?
No. A technical drawing is the flat, symmetrical front and back view of a garment; a tech pack is the production file that adds measurements, materials, colors, prints, labels and construction notes to it. The drawing is one section of the tech pack. To make one from a photo, see the photo to flat sketch guide.
What software do designers use to make a tech pack?
Independent designers often use a spreadsheet for specs and materials and a vector program such as Illustrator or Inkscape for the flats; larger brands work in product lifecycle management (PLM) systems. In Stiloir you make flats on a web board, and Review and handoff (on a web board or in the iPad app) exports measurements, construction notes and the bill of materials as PDF, JSON and CSV.
What does a factory need in a tech pack to give a quote?
Front and back flats, the fabric's fiber content, weight and width, trim types and counts, any special operations, print technique and number of colors, the size range, estimated quantities per color and size, and the delivery date. Share your target price up front if you have one, and note which revision of the tech pack the quote is based on.
How do you make a size spec sheet for a tech pack?
Give every point of measure a code and a short description of how it is measured, enter the base size value and the minus and plus tolerance, then add how each measurement changes between sizes. Use one unit and say whether a measurement is half or full circumference. The values are finished garment measurements, not body measurements.
Can Stiloir make a tech pack?
Partly. It has tools for sections of one, such as flat sketches, colorways, print repeats and patterns from measurements. Review and handoff, on a web board and in the iPad app, exports the measurements, construction notes, bill of materials and style/color/size matrix you enter as PDF, JSON and CSV, with no credits used; the PDF holds no drawings. For credits, see the Plans page.