Most start-up clothing brand owners have no idea how clothing is actually manufactured. Sure, there’s templates for the basics.
But for custom fitting clothing, they need to be designed first.
In comes the Tech Pack. And here’s where start-ups get scared.
What the heck is a Tech Pack, why do you need it, and what’s in it?
What is it?
👩🏫 A Tech Pack is the technical blueprints for any garment. Just like an Architect designs a house on paper first with all its details, we also need to have the blueprints of clothing.
Why do you need it?
1️⃣ It’s necessary because the Tech Pack is a document that contains all the design specs in one place. Our teams in different departments have to share all the details and the Tech Pack becomes the tracking document as well as the finalised specs before samples are made.
2️⃣ It shows us exactly what a garment is, how it’s supposed to be made, and what the end result should look like. Do you really want an overseas manufacturer to guess at the exact cut and fit of your garments?
3️⃣ If you expect clothing manufacturers to guess at the cut and fit of your garments, you will 100% of the time face disappointment, lost time, and lost money. Never risk your business on guesswork!
So what’s in a Tech Pack?
As a minimum it must contain:
✓ Sketches and photos of the garment itself so we know what we’re making and how it should look when it’s completed;
✓ Points of Measure (POMs) which shows the exact measurements for all the features and seams everywhere which directly impacts the cut and fit;
✓ Lists of fabric and trim types so we know the main ingredients which directly impacts so many variables including costs;
✓ Lists and photos of component types so we know secondary ingredients and there are countless possibilities here;
✓ Lists or images of Pantone Colours so we know if the fabric will be a solid colour and what those colours are;
✓ Screenshots of surface designs such as prints or embroidery which play a massive role in your cost calculations, MOQs, and timeframes;
✓ Screenshots of your custom labels and tags for your branding and there are countless possibilities;
✓ Images showing the types of stitching as most garments are made by more than one type of sewing machine;
✓ And the one every start-up forgets (or doesn’t know) is the expected bulk quantities which are used to calculate your total quantity-based cost, your individual per piece cost for bulk production, and your samples costs.
Yes! That’s the bare minimum any Tech Pack must have. Would you build a house without the blueprints?
Who designs Tech Packs and CAD patterns?
👩🏫 A Technical Designer is the person who sketches your garments in Adobe Illustrator, designs your Tech Packs in Adobe Illustrator, designs the CAD patterns in 3D software (ex: CLO3D, Optitex, Gerber, Lectra, etc.), and oversees the sampling process.
Knowing about Tech Packs is a game changer!
Your garments will be created accurately and faster right from the start which will save you money and time.
Excelsior!
📺 Keep on watching the other videos we’ve posted to get an insider’s peek into the world of clothing design and manufacturing.
