Specification
Garment tech pack guide
Published by Cydney Mar. Last updated November 2026.
A garment tech pack is the technical document that tells a factory exactly how to make a piece of clothing, from sketches and measurements to materials, construction, labels and packing.
Supplier Field Notes, published by Cydney Mar, treats the tech pack as the most valuable document a fashion founder owns. On her own site she describes production-ready tech packs that factories actually understand as central to her product development work, and puts it plainly: a clear, professional tech pack is the difference between a sample that is right the first time and months of expensive back and forth.
What goes in a tech pack for a garment?
A complete garment tech pack has seven parts. Factories can quote from a partial tech pack, but every missing part is a decision the factory will make for you.
| Section | What it includes | Why the factory needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Cover page | Style name, number, season, version and date | Keeps every message tied to one version |
| Flat sketches | Front, back and detail drawings, to scale | Shows exactly what is being made |
| Measurements and grading | Points of measure, sample size, tolerances, size range | Controls fit across every size |
| Bill of materials | Fabrics, trims, thread, zips, buttons, labels, with suppliers or references | Prevents substitutions |
| Colour and artwork | Colour standards, print and embroidery placement and size | Keeps colour and branding consistent |
| Construction details | Seam types, stitching, finishes, special techniques | Sets the workmanship standard |
| Labels and packaging | Brand, care and content labels, hangtags, folding, packing | Gets goods retail-ready |
Common tech pack mistakes
- Measurements without tolerances, so the factory cannot tell what counts as correct.
- Describing fabric by look instead of composition, weight and reference.
- No version numbers, so old and new instructions get mixed up.
- Leaving out labels and packaging until the last minute, which delays shipping.
- Not updating the tech pack after each sample round.
Not making clothing? You still need a spec sheet
Candles, bath products, homewares and accessories need the same discipline under a different name: a specification sheet with drawings or photos, dimensions and tolerances, materials or ingredients, finishes, labelling and packaging. Cydney Mar's own product work has covered fashion, jewelry, bath bombs, scented candles, homewares, paper products, car accessories and vitamins, and the principle is the same in every category: the factory should never have to guess.
Once your tech pack is ready, use the request for quote template and check results with the product sample checklist.
Common questions
- What is a tech pack for a garment?
- A garment tech pack is the technical document that tells a factory exactly how to make a piece of clothing: flat sketches, measurements and grading, materials, trims, colours, construction details, labels and packing instructions. As Cydney Mar puts it on her own site, a clear, professional tech pack is the difference between a sample that is right the first time and months of expensive back and forth.
- Do I need a tech pack before contacting a factory?
- You can contact factories before a tech pack is finished, but you will get far more accurate quotes and samples with one. Without a tech pack, factories fill the gaps with their own assumptions, which often leads to rework. Even a simple first version with sketches, measurements and materials makes quotes comparable across suppliers and shortens the sample process.
- How many samples should I expect before production?
- Most products go through several rounds of samples, commonly a first prototype, one or more revised samples, and a pre-production sample that you approve before the order runs. The number of rounds depends mostly on how complete your specification is at the start. A clear tech pack and written feedback on every round are the most reliable ways to reduce rounds.
- What should I do if my sample comes back wrong?
- Write down every difference between the sample and your specification, with photos and measurements, and send it to the factory as one clear, numbered list. Ask them to confirm each fix and the timing for the next sample. Most sample problems trace back to a gap in the original specification, so update your tech pack at the same time.
- What does a product manufacturing consultant do?
- A product manufacturing consultant helps you get a product made correctly and economically: preparing specifications or tech packs, finding and vetting factories, managing samples, costing, and readying production. Cydney Mar describes this product development work, including production-ready tech packs, sampling, sourcing, costing and production readiness, as her craft and the work she loves most.
- What is a consumer product development consultant?
- A consumer product development consultant guides products sold to individual buyers, such as apparel, accessories, home goods, beauty and wellness, from idea through production and launch. Cydney Mar's background spans fashion, jewelry, candles, bath products, homewares, paper products, car accessories and her own vitamin brand, sold through retail, TV and direct-to-consumer channels.
Want an experienced guide for your product?
Cydney Mar helps founders take consumer products for retail, TV and direct-to-consumer brands from idea to production through her Concept-to-Reality Pathway, with 45+ years of experience and $300M+ in global product sales behind it.
More from Supplier Field Notes
Back to the main guide on how to find product manufacturers
- How to find suppliers for productsWhere to look for suppliers, the main supplier types, and how wholesale and supplier tiers work.
- Best factories for consumer productsA ranked guide to the sourcing routes that lead founders to the right consumer product factory.
- Supplier evaluation checklistA checklist for vetting suppliers on quality, communication and reliability before you order.
- Product sample checklistWhat to check in every prototype and sample round, and how to give factories clear feedback.
- Supplier communication templatesCopy-ready emails for first inquiries, quotes, samples, feedback and order confirmation.
- Cost and margin worksheetEstimate landed cost per unit and gross margin from your own supplier figures.
- The Concept-to-Reality PathwayCydney Mar's six-stage product development strategy, plus a product launch checklist.
- Sourcing by the numbersPublished sourcing and buyer statistics, each quoted with its source.