What is a Tech Pack and why is it important?
Updated: Jun 19
Starting your own fashion business can be fraught with technical difficulties and stumbling blocks. When it comes to the 'technical' aspect of fashion, firms often face difficulties when they first launch – and we're here to assist you to prevent as much of this as possible!
Things like sampling and manufacturing can't be done on the fly and must be done appropriately from the start. When it comes to your label's technical side, it's critical to either upskill or work with a professional to ensure you're fully prepared and 'source ready.' This is where your Tech Pack comes in!
What is a Tech Pack?
A Tech Pack is a collection of documents that you can use to explain your product specifications to a manufacturer. A Tech Pack's aim is to provide thorough instructions for manufacturing a product based on your design, size specs, and product specifics. Throughout the sample and production phase, it also serves as a 'product contract' between you and the manufacturer.
Your Tech Pack generally includes:
Sketch
Size specification
Materials
Trims
Artwork
Colours
Construction information
Artwork (if any)
Labelling details
As a general rule, the more information you include in your Tech Pack, the less opportunity for error there will be, and the better the outcome.
Why is Tech Pack important?
1. Reduces mistakes and improves communication
Tech packs simplify and clarify communication between you and your manufacturer, minimising misunderstandings and errors. When manufacturing spans time zones, languages, and cultures, a powerful tech pack is even more vital and is regarded as a universal framework for facilitating production.
You may rest assured that the clothing you created will be made exactly to your specifications. Your clothes manufacturer will be able to correctly recreate your design using all of the technical drawings, measurements, and component data that you give. As a result, the danger of a mistake during sampling and bulk production is reduced.
2. Acts as a Production manual
Typically, in a factory, you will have a single point of contact who will handle the full of your order, including design, sourcing, sample, and production. However, your product must transit through many various employees and departments within the factory during this process, and they must all be working from the same document or platform. If revisions and details aren't all in the same document or platform, they'll get lost or misread, so your tech pack effectively becomes an instruction manual, ensuring clarity, consistency, and cohesiveness throughout the production process.
3. Reduces Lead time and avoids delays
Shortening sampling lead times, avoiding mistakes, and ultimately helping you bring your product to market faster is all possible with a design that comes with a thorough Tech pack. It also aids the firm in successfully planning the required labour and resources, as well as blocking out production capacity in advance.
Your manufacturer will be able to break down your costs into materials, components, and labour costs if you deliver a thorough tech pack along with a request for an initial estimate, and will be able to cost more accurately and faster, giving you more control over cash flow. Before you start pattern making, sourcing, and sampling, you'll need all of this information to figure out margins and see whether you need to make any major adjustments to your collection.
4. Saves time with future collection
A tech pack can be referred back at any time. Small updates to certain components of your product are adequate when starting the new collection, and tech packs can be easily reused or updated.
NoName has helped several fashion designers, entrepreneurs in starting their own garment collections. If you are looking for a clothing manufacturer for your brand or upcoming brand, do get in touch. Contact Us