If you aspire to be an up-and-coming designer in the fashion industry, but have yet to attend a fashion design school or have a background in fashion marketing or fashion business, then you may be wondering what exactly a tech pack is. A fashion tech pack is a must-have in the fashion design development process as it involves different technical elements like the exact garment dimensions and language-specific terminology. Think of it as a blueprint for a building. Just as a blueprint includes all the technical details and measurements necessary for constructing a building, a fashion tech pack includes all the technical details and measurements necessary for creating a garment. Without a blueprint, it would be impossible to construct a building accurately and efficiently, and without a fashion tech pack, it would be challenging to create a garment that meets the desired specifications.

But before we dive deeper into how exactly a tech pack is created, it is best to understand why a tech pack is essential for you as a fashion designer. 

Why Is A Tech Pack Essential? 

To communicate your designs to your manufacturer, a tech pack has all the components and specific instructions required to turn your apparel design into a fashion piece. It would include different information like materials, trim, labels, grading, seams, colourway and measurements among others. 

1. Minimise Mistakes

Some contractors and factories may not accept orders from fashion designers unless a clear and detailed tech pack is provided, allowing them to minimise the number of samples made. With precise instructions, manufacturers are able to bring your product to the market faster, cutting down unnecessary back-and-forth and saving you money and time. 

2. Accurate Price Estimates

Moreover, a detailed tech pack enables you to receive accurate price estimations from the manufacturers without worrying about any hidden fees or costs. You would be able to leverage on manufacturer accountability if the factory decides to switch materials, trims or create something that does not conform to your vision. You can always turn back to your loyal tech packs and pinpoint exactly where mistakes are and indicate how to correct them. 

3. A collaboration tool

Your tech pack would also bring together different roles within your supply chain. A simple document can encourage a collaborative environment where designers, product developers, buyers, and quality control planners work together to brainstorm, design and create better collections faster. 

Now, if this is the first time you are creating a tech pack, here are some information that should be included. 

What Needs To Be Included In A Tech Pack

A detailed tech pack should include:

• Technical sketches that clearly illustrate every design detail at different angles.
• Sample sizes and measurements.
• Construction details that would usually include diagrams with labelled arrows pointing at collars, plackets, cuffs, fastenings, bar tacks and artwork placement.
• Bill of Materials (BOM) which is a list of all the physical components and their location within the garment such as buttons, labels, tags, pads, lining, polybags and more. 
• Stitches and seams which should include details such as stitches per inch, seams width, seam allowances and seam ISO numbers.
• Company identification on every page which should include company name, sample size, date, changes made and requests. 

In the world of fashion, a product without a tech pack is akin to building a house without a blueprint, no one knows what exactly is happening. We hope these tips will be able to give you a clearer picture of what a tech pack is, why you need one, as well as what should be included in one. If you would like to know more details on how to create a tech pack, you’ve come to the right place. At TaF.tc, we have just the course for you. Contact us today to know more! 

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