Learning how to write a tech pack for clothing is one of the most valuable skills a brand owner can develop — but it is also one of the most misunderstood requirements in clothing manufacturing. A tech pack (short for technical package) is the master document that communicates everything a clothing manufacturer needs to produce a garment correctly: dimensions, construction, materials, trims, branding, and quality standards. Without a clear tech pack, misproduction is not a risk — it is a certainty.
Ready One ships custom clothing to brands in 40+ countries from its Sialkot, Pakistan factory — with DDP door-to-door delivery covering customs, duties, and last-mile logistics. Founded in 2012 with 14+ years of experience, the factory holds ISO 9001, BSCI, and SEDEX certification, produces 100,000–150,000 units per month, and accepts orders from 50 units. Ready One does not require a tech pack to start — but brands that provide one receive faster sampling, fewer revision rounds, and more accurate bulk production.
For brands new to manufacturing, see Ready One’s order process for how to submit a brief with or without a tech pack.
What Is a Tech Pack and Why Does It Matter?
A tech pack is a structured document — usually a multi-page PDF or spreadsheet — that communicates every specification of a garment to the manufacturer. It is the single source of truth for the production team. A well-written tech pack eliminates ambiguity, reduces sampling rounds, prevents production errors, and enables the manufacturer to price accurately. Without one, the brand must rely on verbal briefs, WhatsApp photos, and back-and-forth emails — each of which introduces misinterpretation risk.
Furthermore, a tech pack creates a legal and quality reference point. If bulk production deviates from the approved specification, the tech pack is the document that defines what was agreed. For brands placing large orders or building long-term manufacturing relationships, a properly executed tech pack is the foundation of quality control accountability.
Do All Clothing Manufacturers Require a Tech Pack?
No. Ready One does not require a tech pack to start an order. Brands can submit a brief using reference samples, detailed descriptions, mood boards, or sketches — and Ready One’s technical team develops the construction specification from that starting point, producing a pre-production sample for the brand’s approval before bulk production begins. However, for brands that want to control every detail of their product — specific measurements, exact fabric specifications, precise construction techniques — a tech pack is the most reliable way to communicate those requirements.
How to Write a Tech Pack for Clothing: The 7 Core Sections
A complete clothing tech pack contains seven core sections. Each section addresses a different aspect of the garment’s specification. The level of detail in each section determines how accurately the manufacturer can execute the production without requiring clarification.
Section 1: Cover Page and Style Overview
The cover page identifies the garment and the revision status of the tech pack. It should include: brand name, style name, style number, season or collection, garment category (e.g. pullover hoodie, zip tracksuit jacket), target market (men’s, women’s, unisex), and tech pack revision number. Additionally, include a front and back technical sketch of the garment — a clean line drawing, not a photo. The sketch is the visual anchor for the entire document.
Most brands number tech pack revisions from v1.0 upward. Every time the specification changes — even a small adjustment — the revision number updates. This ensures the manufacturer and brand are always working from the same document version and prevents the confusion of multiple conflicting specifications in circulation.
Section 2: Fabric and Materials Specification
The materials section specifies every fabric and trim used in the garment. For each fabric, include: fibre composition (e.g. 80% cotton / 20% polyester), fabric weight in GSM (grams per square metre), fabric construction (e.g. 3-end fleece, French terry, jersey, ripstop), finish or treatment (e.g. enzyme washed, brushed inner, water-repellent coating), and colour specification — Pantone code is the industry standard. For trims, list: zip brand and type, drawcord diameter and material, rib cuff specification, and any interlining or padding specifications.
Specifying GSM is particularly important. A “heavyweight hoodie” means different things to different manufacturers — 280 GSM, 320 GSM, and 400 GSM are all “heavy” depending on context. Specifying 320 GSM 80/20 cotton-poly 3-end fleece leaves no ambiguity. See Ready One’s fabric and GSM guide for custom hoodies for a reference on fabric weight selection by product category.
Section 3: Measurement Specification (Graded Size Chart)
The measurement spec is the most technically critical section of the tech pack. It defines the finished garment dimensions at every size — not the body measurement, but the actual garment measurement as it will be measured lying flat. Key measurements for a hoodie include: chest width (half), body length (front and back), sleeve length (from shoulder seam), sleeve width at underarm, armhole curve depth, hood height and width, rib cuff height, and hem rib height. Grade rules — the increments between sizes — must also be specified.
Tolerance allowances should also be stated. A ±1 cm tolerance means production garments within 1 cm of the spec measurement are accepted. Tighter tolerances (±0.5 cm) increase QC rejection rates and production cost. Most ready-to-wear brands accept ±1 cm on most measurements and ±0.5 cm on critical measurements like chest and body length.
Section 4: Construction and Stitching Details
The construction section specifies how the garment is assembled — seam type, stitch type, stitch density (stitches per centimetre), and any construction details specific to the style. For example: double-needle topstitching at 6mm on all seams, 3-thread overlock on internal seams, flatlock at shoulder seams. Diagrams showing seam placement and construction details are more reliable than text descriptions for complex construction specifications.
Section 5: Branding and Labelling Specification
The branding section specifies every label and decoration on the garment: woven brand label (position, size, attachment method — sewn in at neck, heat sealed, etc.), care label (content, position, language — English, Arabic, etc.), hang tag (attachment method, position), and all garment decoration — print type and position (screen print, DTG, sublimation, embroidery), embroidery stitch count and thread colour, patch placement and attachment, and heat transfer label specifications. Artwork files (vector, minimum 300dpi) should be supplied separately.
Section 6: Quality Control Standards
The QC section defines the acceptable quality level (AQL) for bulk production — typically AQL 2.5 for fashion garments, meaning no more than 2.5% of units may have defects. Define what constitutes a major defect (reject — e.g. wrong measurement outside tolerance, wrong fabric colour), a minor defect (accept with note — e.g. small stitch irregularity), and a critical defect (reject entire batch — e.g. wrong branding, safety risk). Ready One conducts multi-point in-line and final QC inspection on all orders against the approved pre-production sample.
Section 7: Packaging and Shipping Specification
The packaging section specifies how the finished garment is packed: polybag size and type (clear poly, branded poly, zip-lock), folding method (flat fold, rolled), inner pack quantity per polybag, carton dimensions and weight limits, and carton labelling requirements. For Amazon FBA shipments, include FNSKU barcode placement, suffocation warning text (required on polybags), and carton labelling per Amazon’s current inbound shipment requirements. Ready One prepares export-ready packaging to the brand’s specification as standard.
Common Tech Pack Mistakes That Cause Production Problems
The most common tech pack mistakes that cause production errors are: missing measurements (manufacturer interprets omitted measurements at their own standard), no Pantone codes (manufacturer matches colour to a photo or description — inaccurate), conflicting information between sections (size chart says 65 cm chest, sketch shows a different proportion), no revision tracking (manufacturer works from an outdated version), and missing tolerance allowances (manufacturer uses their factory default, which may not match brand expectations).
Additionally, many brands include too much marketing language and not enough technical detail — “premium quality” and “luxury feel” are not specifications. Manufacturers need numbers, codes, and material references — not adjectives. A tech pack that is 80% precise specification and 20% annotation is far more useful than one that is 50% aspirational description. See Ready One’s quality control process for how production specifications are enforced during manufacturing.
What Software Do Brands Use to Write Tech Packs?
Most brands start with Adobe Illustrator (for technical sketches and layout) combined with Excel or Google Sheets (for measurement charts and BOM — bill of materials). Free alternatives include Canva (for layout) and Google Sheets (for measurements). More advanced brands use specialist tech pack software such as Techpacker, Techpack.co, or NuORDER. However, the tool matters far less than the content — a clear, complete tech pack in a Google Slides document is more valuable than an incomplete tech pack in expensive software.
What Happens if You Start Without a Tech Pack at Ready One?
Brands that submit to Ready One without a tech pack start with a brief — a reference sample, mood board, or description of the garment. Ready One’s technical team uses this brief to develop a factory specification, which is shared with the brand for review before sampling begins. A pre-production sample is then produced and sent to the brand for approval. Any corrections are noted on the sample and implemented in the revised sample or bulk production.
Moreover, for brands that prefer this approach, Ready One can develop a tech pack from the approved sample after production — creating a reference document the brand owns for future production runs at Ready One or any other manufacturer. This gives brands the flexibility to start without technical documentation while still building the specification library they need for long-term production consistency. Submit a brief to Ready One to start the process with or without a tech pack.
Ready to Start Your Custom Clothing Order?
Ready One manufactures from 50 units — with or without a tech pack. ISO 9001, BSCI, SEDEX certified. DDP worldwide delivery from Sialkot, Pakistan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a tech pack in clothing manufacturing?
A tech pack is a structured document that communicates every specification of a garment to the manufacturer — including materials, measurements, construction details, branding, and quality standards. It is the master reference document for production. A complete tech pack reduces sampling rounds, prevents production errors, and gives both brand and manufacturer a shared quality reference point for the entire production run.
Do I need a tech pack to order from Ready One?
No. Ready One does not require a tech pack to start an order. Brands can submit a brief using reference samples, a description, mood board images, or a sketch. Ready One’s technical team develops the construction specification from the brief and produces a pre-production sample for approval before bulk production begins. A tech pack improves accuracy but is not a prerequisite.
What should a clothing tech pack include?
A complete clothing tech pack includes: cover page with style overview and technical sketch, materials specification (fabric composition, GSM, Pantone colours), graded size chart with all measurements and tolerance allowances, construction and stitching details, branding and labelling specification, quality control standards (AQL level, defect definitions), and packaging and shipping requirements. All seven sections are needed for a manufacturer to produce accurately without requiring clarification.
How many rounds of sampling are needed before bulk production?
Most brands require 1–3 sampling rounds before approving bulk production. Brands with a complete, detailed tech pack typically need fewer rounds — often 1–2. Brands starting without a tech pack from a brief or reference sample may need 2–3 rounds as the specification is refined through the sampling process. Each sampling round at Ready One includes feedback incorporation and a revised sample before the next round is produced.