Develop & order
How to write a tech pack a factory can actually use
A tech pack is the instruction manual for your garment. For knitwear it needs six things: style details, fabric and weight, a size chart with tolerances, decoration, trims and labels, and packing. Write them clearly enough that a factory can quote and sample without guessing.
Key takeaways
- A usable tech pack covers style, fabric, size chart, decoration, trims & labels, and packing.
- Size charts need points of measure and a tolerance, not just S/M/L.
- Give decoration positions in centimetres from a reference point.
- If you can't write one, a reference garment or a brief is enough for ODM development.
What a tech pack is for
A tech pack turns “a navy polo with our logo” into instructions a factory can price, sample and produce the same way every time. The clearer it is, the fewer sample rounds you need, and the easier it is to reorder the same garment next year.
The six sections
1. Style
Style name and number, garment type, fit (regular, slim or relaxed), size group and target quantity.
2. Fabric and colour
Give the body fabric, for example 100% cotton single jersey, piqué or French terry, and its weight in GSM. Name the rib or collar, such as 1×1 spandex rib or a flat-knit collar with tipping. Add Pantone references for colours where you have them. If you’re not sure what to pick, our knit fabric and GSM guide explains the options.
3. Size chart
List each point of measure (POM) and its value in every size, with a tolerance. Typical POMs for a knit top:
| Point of measure | How it is measured |
|---|---|
| 1/2 chest | Flat, 1” (2.5 cm) below the armhole |
| Body length | From the high-point shoulder (HPS) to hem |
| Sleeve length | From shoulder seam to cuff |
| Neck width | Seam to seam at the neckline |
| 1/2 hem | Flat, across the hem |
4. Decoration
State the method (embroidery, screen print, DTG or heat transfer), the size, the position in centimetres from a reference point, and the thread or ink colours. Attach the artwork as a vector file (AI or PDF).
5. Trims and labels
List buttons, zips, drawcords, the main label (woven or tagless), the care and content label, the size label and hangtags. For children’s and school wear, note any safety requirements, for example no hood drawcords.
6. Packing
Folding method, polybag, hangtags, size stickers, carton ratio and destination market.
Common mistakes
Size labels without measurements are the first. “M” means different things in different markets. Leaving out the tolerance is the second, because without one nobody can say whether a garment passes inspection. Vague decoration placement causes trouble too, since “left chest” can vary by several centimetres. Colour by name alone has the same problem: “navy” is not a standard, a Pantone reference is. Finally, many packs forget the market, and labelling and safety rules depend on where the garment is sold.
Final thoughts
A good tech pack is short, specific and measurable. You don’t need professional software. You need clear points of measure, a tolerance, exact placements and the destination market. If all you have is a reference garment, send it. Developing the tech pack with you is what ODM is for.