THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TECH PACK DESIGN

Having quality clothing tech packs is the first and most important step toward streamlining your sample development, bulk production and quality control process.

Tech packs will help you make calculated decisions before making physical samples; saving you time, money and wastage.

Tech packs are also the most important protection you have from having incorrectly made products.

Here we are addressing how tech packs are used throughout the entire process, how they are priced, and how to get them made.

WITH TECK PACKS YOU CAN REQUEST PRODUCTION PRICES FROM CLOTHING MANUFACTURERS TO BE CALCULATED BEFORE INVESTING IN PHYSICAL SAMPLES

It is a common mistake to start sampling products before having reliable custom quoted prices calculated for production, only to realise upon completion of samples that the price turned out to be unfeasible.

Making calculated decisions at the right time is crucial for your business’s success.

We have over the years fine-tuned our tech packs in a way that allows the clothing manufacturers to efficiently calculate quotations without physically making samples, which saves cost, time and wastage in sampling!

The more precise and detailed the information in the tech pack is, the more accurate the quotation for bulk production will be.

When you have a reliable production price estimation for your design idea before it is physically made into a real product, you have the opportunity to make vital design decisions before you invest time and money in the sampling process.

There are many ways to alter the cost and perceived value of a garment; once you have a reliable quotation, you can tweak your design, fabrics, trims, number of colourways, styles, sizes, your total order QTY or fish around for more quotations.

WHAT’S INCLUDED A TECH PACK?

A quality tech pack consists of precise digital CAD drawings, spec measurements, sizing, fabrication, colours, print specifications, labelling, branding placements and maker instructions that must be explained in a clear yet simple way for any manufacturer speaking any language to easily understand. A reference sample is helpful for the fashion designer to estimate spec measurements.

You also need to specify which size to make your samples in, which should be the size you will use for your fit- model. Note: Grading of sizes is only created after you have approved your final Proto or SMS sample. Read more about sample types, cost and lead times.

By investing in quality clothing tech packs you are avoiding costly and time-consuming setbacks in sampling. Our tech pack services will make the process of creating your product easier for both you and the manufacturer.

If the instructions are not clear, the physical sampling process can be quite tedious, expensive and not very eco-friendly. This often results in a frustrated and strained relationship with your manufacturer and it’s just not a sustainable way to move forward with your brand.

The more precise and detailed the information provided, the more accurate the quotation will be. Your tech pack also acts as your proof of purchase containing all the details about the product you ordered for both sample and bulk production processes.

INCLUSIONS:

✔️ CAD flat drawing with points to measure

✔️ Colourways or prints

✔️ BOM (Bill of materials)

✔️ Fabrics

✔️ Trims & accessories

✔️ Make & Construction

✔️ Branding and packaging

✔️ Sample size measurement sheet (specs)ments.

ADDITIONAL AND OPTIONAL COSTS

• Branding: It is not a requirement to have your branding/labelling completed in the initial tech pack for the purpose of manufacturing quotation and initial samples, but it does mean your tech pack will need to be updated later. We can take care of all your branding;. Whether that is designing your logo, or adding the logo you already have to a design layout for neck labels, swing tickets, care labels and packaging and setting up your files ready for production as well as the physical production. It can save you significant time and cost getting your branding design done with the same designer that produces your tech packs; our designers specialise in graphic design for textiles and we offer highly competitive prices accommodating for start-ups on tight budgets. See our BRANDING & LOGO Services.

• Print & artwork design: We have some highly talented artists on our team that can create any kind of custom print and digital artwork ready for production. This includes hand-painted prints, surface prints , embroidery, laser cutting, applique and more. If you need print artworks, please see our CUSTOM PRINT DESIGN Services. And PRINT SHOP for ready-made print files.

• Communication Time: This is time spent in communication with your designer, this could be on email, phone, or video call. If additional time is required for your design job or tasks such as fabric sourcing, then we will let you know in advance before any additional expenses occur.

WITH TECH PACKS YOU ARE KEEPING RECORD OF YOUR DESIGNS – IT’S YOUR PROOF OF PURCHASE

The Tech Pack tech paca are updated throughout the sampling process, any change in design is to be reflected in the updated tech pack for the next round of sampling. If you run into problems during the sampling or bulk production process, you can always revert back to your Tech Pack to assess where the issue has come from.

If the instructions are not clear, the physical sampling process can be quite tedious, expensive and not very eco-friendly. This often results in a frustrated and strained relationship with your manufacturer and it’s just not a sustainable way to move forward with your brand.

REFERENCE SAMPLE – WHY YOU NEED ONE

A reference sample is a garment that is similar in size and shape to the garment that you want to create. It is not used to replicate the garment you are designing but to guide your fashion designer on spec measurements, shape and fabric feel.

The reference sample needs to be the same size (but not entirely the same shape) as the sample size for your tech pack. Grading of sizes is only created after you have approved your final Proto or SMS sample. Read more about sample types, cost and lead times. You would want to pick the size that you will use for your fit model.

If you don’t have a reference sample, it means that you might run into more sample rounds than if you had one. Without reference samples, the fashion designer will need to guess more on measurements and the tech packs might not reflect the correct specs and shapes as accurately, resulting in a more time-consuming process and wastage of materials. Finding a reference sample is part of the research and development phase of the design process.

HOW MUCH DO TECH PACKS COST?

We carefully quote tech packs based on their level of complexity and the time that it will take to develop each one.  We categorise the styles into groups of Basic, Intermediate and Complex. A complete comprehensive Tech pack ranges from $400 to $750, depending on the complexity of the garment. Highly complex styles such as safety gear and products such as motocross suits may need additional time.

Our prices are calculated to the lowest price that we can offer, and though there will always be cheaper options out there, keep in mind that cutting costs on tech packs will typically end up costing more in the long run. 

HOW TO GET A TECH PACK QUOTE

Submit a request via the button below. Unless you have a design brief ready to upload with your request, we will send you a design handover template that will prompt you to communicate your design idea to us in an easy way, and ensure that we have all the info and in the format that we need to quote and create your tech packs.

We will take your ideas and turn them into a tech pack format that the manufacturing team will understand and follow it’s instructions to ensure your products are being made correctly.

NEED HELP TO GET STARTED?

Designing something that looks great is the easy part, but designing to production feasibility and a budget takes experience.

We are here to assist with as much as you need us to, and to make it a bit easier than if you were to try and figure it all out on your own.

If you need a helping hand before finalising your Design Brief, or you would like to discuss options around fabric and trim’s, MOQ’s, designing to your budget, market viability and production feasibility. Jump on a video or in-house meeting with one of our Senior Designers. Let’s bring your design dreams to life!