A tech pack is the complete technical specification a manufacturer needs to produce your garment exactly as intended. It is the single most important document in apparel development because it converts a design into unambiguous, buildable instructions. A vague tech pack produces a vague garment; a precise one produces what you approved.
Whether you are working with a factory across the world or a small local maker, the tech pack is how you communicate without being in the room. Treat it as the contract for what gets made.
What a tech pack actually is
A tech pack is a structured set of pages, usually a spreadsheet or PLM document, covering every detail required to manufacture and quality-check a style. It removes assumptions. Anything not specified will be decided by the factory, and rarely the way you hoped.
Good tech packs are living documents, updated at each sample round so the file always reflects the latest approved state of the garment.
Core components
- Flat technical sketches with callouts, front, back and details
- A points-of-measure chart with graded specs across the size range
- A bill of materials listing every fabric, trim and component with placement
- Construction details, stitch types, seam allowances and finishing
- Labeling, packaging, care instructions and color or Pantone references
- Graded pattern files and any reference photos or sample comments
Points of measure: the heart of fit
The points-of-measure, or POM, chart defines where and how the garment is measured and what value each point should be in every size. It is how you and the factory agree on fit objectively. During sampling, measured samples are compared against the POM to flag deviations.
Tolerances matter here too: specify how much variation is acceptable per point, because no garment is sewn to the millimeter.
The bill of materials
The BOM lists every physical input: shell fabrics, linings, interfacings, zippers, buttons, thread, labels and packaging, each with supplier, color and placement. A complete BOM lets the factory cost accurately and source correctly, and it prevents the substitutions that quietly degrade a product.
Incomplete BOMs are a leading cause of costing surprises and quality drift between sample and bulk.
Patterns inside the tech pack
Many tech packs include or reference the graded pattern files, typically in DXF AAMA, so the factory cuts from your geometry rather than re-drafting from measurements. Supplying clean digital patterns removes a major source of error and speeds first sample.
Minerva Patterns provides made-to-measure digital patterns in DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF that can be graded and attached to a tech pack, giving your manufacturer production-ready files to cut from directly.
Pro tip
Always send pattern files in a format your factory's CAD can open cleanly. DXF AAMA is the broadest-compatibility choice for production.
How to write one that prevents errors
- 1.Specify everything; if it matters, it must be on the page
- 2.Use the factory's measurement conventions and a clear POM with tolerances
- 3.Include reference images and explicit construction callouts, not just sketches
- 4.Version every revision and date it, so both sides reference the same file
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a tech pack for a small order?
Yes. Even small or local production benefits from a tech pack because it removes ambiguity, controls quality and protects you if the result does not match what you intended. The smaller your team, the more the document does for you.
What is a points-of-measure chart?
It is the table that defines exactly where a garment is measured and the target value at each point in every size. It is how you and the factory agree on fit objectively and check samples against intent.
Should pattern files be included in the tech pack?
Ideally yes. Including graded pattern files, usually as DXF AAMA, lets the factory cut from your exact geometry rather than re-drafting, which reduces error and shortens the first sample round.
Minerva Patterns
Made-to-measure digital patterns, ready to cut
Every pattern is graded to your measurements and delivered as DXF AAMA, PLT and PDF files for cutting, plotting and 3D workflows.
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