Steps in Tech Pack Design Followed in Garment Industry

Clothing designers and brands may wonder why they need a tech pack and spec sheet, but these tools are crucial for successful clothing manufacturing. In this post, we'll provide a clear overview of the steps involved in designing a clothing tech pack, which is not only important for tech pack designers, but also for brands. A fashion tech pack serves many purposes for an apparel brand, helping them save money in the production of their clothing line. Additionally, it acts as a de facto contract between the client and the clothing manufacturer throughout the apparel production process.

At its core, a tech pack serves to clearly communicate the design and style requirements for a particular garment. It provides a set of instructions for the clothing manufacturer to follow throughout the production process, which includes everything from pattern design to finishing. Because each step of the process is important and requires proper instruction, it's essential for the tech pack designer to provide clarity in their instructions, as this directly affects sample development and production. Each tech pack is unique and tailored to the specific style and design requirements of the garment. In the following points, we'll outline how to create a tech pack and spec sheet for garments to ensure that all important details are included.

1. Fashion Flats: A Fashion Flat, also known as a Flat Sketch, is a front and back view of a garment that showcases every detail. It serves as the foundation for the tech pack design, so it's important for the tech pack designer to include all necessary information in the Fashion Flat. Both the designer and the client should cross-check the Fashion Flat throughout the design process to ensure that all details are accurately represented.

2. Color Options and Pantone Code: Garment styles are not complete without color options. Clients often request color variations for each style they design, and this also allows the brand to offer variety to their customers. Therefore, the tech pack designer should provide 2-3 color options for each style to ensure that the final product meets the client's expectations and offers flexibility for the brand.

3. Fabric Details: Fabric details are a critical aspect of any garment tech pack. This information includes the fabric's yarn count, weight, GSM, and composition, and is essential for the garment manufacturer to estimate fabric consumption during production. The fabric details also determine the optimal quantity required at a particular price rate, which can impact the overall cost of production. Therefore, the tech pack designer should ensure that all fabric details are accurately included in the tech pack to avoid any issues during the production process.

4. Stitching and Construction Details: Stitching and construction details in a tech pack provide guidance on how a clothing manufacturer should stitch and construct the garment. The stitching and construction details show the step-by-step process of assembling the garment, and a tech pack designer with factory experience can provide the necessary expertise to ensure that these details are accurately conveyed. Therefore, it's crucial to include stitching and construction details in the tech pack to ensure that the garment is produced correctly and meets the client's expectations.

5. Graphic and Print Details: Graphics and prints are an essential part of garment embellishment, and any garment style is incomplete without them. When incorporating prints and graphics, the placement and technique of the design are crucial to achieving the desired look. The tech pack designer must provide clear instructions for the print's color, size, and placement in the garment. Therefore, it's important to include these details in the tech pack to ensure that the final product accurately represents the client's vision. A separate post will be dedicated to discussing print and graphic details in further depth.

6. Graphic/Print Placement Details: Print design is a crucial aspect of tech pack design, but it's not enough to simply create a design. Decisions on the placement of the print, such as whether it will be printed on a garment or a panel, are essential and should be made with the guidance of a technical designer. It's important to remember that even a good print can look like a disaster if it's placed in the wrong location on the garment. Therefore, the tech pack should include detailed measurements and the exact position of the print from a specific point to ensure that it's accurately executed during production.

7. Embroidery Details: Embroidery has become a popular trend in high-end fashion, and any garment style that features an embroidery design requires detailed instructions. The tech pack should include information on the type of embroidery, the number of stitches required, the color of the thread, and other relevant details. The number of stitches required for a particular embroidery design is a crucial factor to consider. There are several embroidery techniques, such as puff embroidery, stiffly, and plain lock stitch, and it's essential for the tech pack designer to specify the type of embroidery to be used in the design. Including these details in the tech pack ensures that the embroidery is executed correctly during production.

8. Trims Detail: In addition to fabric, garments also require other materials such as trims, including buttons, zippers, clip hooks, and more. Each garment style requires different trims, so it's essential to provide complete details for sourcing and usage in the garment. The technical designer must mention the trim details along with its specifications in the tech pack. For example, for a shirt, the tech pack should specify the button size to use, and for the bottom, the zipper length should be mentioned. Including these details in the tech pack is crucial to ensure that the garment is constructed accurately and the style is executed as intended.

9. Branding Details: Every style that a technical designer creates is typically for a brand, and as such, it should reflect certain branding details. Labels, hang tags, loop labels, size labels, and more are all part of a brand's identity. While these details may not be part of the tech pack design, it is important to specify where to attach or stitch them in the tech pack. The most crucial branding trim is the care label, which provides instructions on how to handle the garment. Including these branding details in the tech pack ensures that the final product aligns with the brand's identity and guidelines.

10. Washing Details: Apart from stitching, every garment has its specific processing needs. For example, some garments need to be washed to reduce shrinkage, enhance the shine, and soften the fabric, which can improve the overall look and feel of the garment. Therefore, washing instructions are an important part of sample development and mass production. The tech pack designer should clearly mention the washing instructions for each garment in the tech pack to ensure that the garment is processed correctly.

11. Measurement Details and Size Chart: The measurement spec sheet includes all the key measurements of the garment, such as the chest, waist, hip, sleeve length, and inseam, along with the tolerance range for each measurement. The size chart and grading rules are also important to ensure the garment fits properly across all sizes. The tech pack designer needs to work closely with the pattern maker to ensure that the spec sheet is accurate and that the size chart and grading rules are appropriate for the target market.

12. Measurement Guideline: The measurement guideline is an important part of the measurement spec sheet, as it provides clear instructions on how to take the measurements. It typically includes illustrations and descriptions of where to start and end the measurements, as well as how to position the measuring tape. This helps to ensure that the measurements are consistent and accurate, which is crucial for achieving the desired fit of the garment.

13. Bills of Materials ( BOM ): Bill of Materials (BOM) is a crucial document in the production process, as it lists all the materials and components required to make a garment. A Bill of Materials is an essential source of information used for production cost estimation. This includes not only the fabric, trims, and hardware, but also things like labels, thread, and packaging materials. The BOM is used by the production team to estimate the cost of making the garment and to ensure that all the necessary materials are ordered and on hand before production begins. It is also used to keep track of inventory levels and to ensure that there are no shortages of any critical components. Preparing an accurate BOM is an important part of the tech pack design process, and requires careful attention to detail and thorough knowledge of the garment's construction and materials.

Urban Purple offers a comprehensive set of services for fashion brands, including design, sampling, production, and shipping. This can be valuable for brands looking for an end-to-end supply chain solution. Additionally, Tech Pack Template Store can be a helpful resource for brands in need of design spec sheet templates. Having a one-stop shop for all of these services and resources can be a time-saving and cost-effective option for fashion brands.

The Importance of Fabric Details in Fashion Tech Pack Design

The Importance of Fabric Details in Apparel Tech Packs

Fabric is a crucial element of any apparel style, and the fabric details included in a tech pack are essential. Without accurate fabric details, it is impossible to move forward with the production process. Therefore, the technical designer must provide a detailed description of the fabric in the tech pack, including color, blend, composition, yarn count, and wash care instructions. Similarly, it is important for brands to explain in detail the type of garments they require, providing the designer with a clear idea of the appropriate fabric for the desired styles. Effective coordination between the designer and the client is critical during the design phase, enabling the tech pack designer to provide an appropriate fabric description that best suits the style.

Essential Aspects of Fabric Description in Apparel Tech Packs

When creating a tech pack, the fabric description should include four essential aspects: composition, blend, texture, and color. While discussing fabrics in detail is beyond the scope of this discussion, it is important to note that fabric characteristics vary and require detailed research. It is also important to be aware of testing characteristics when selecting fabrics. To ensure high-quality garments, it is crucial to conduct thorough testing on fabrics, including but not limited to colorfastness, shrinkage, and pilling. By providing detailed fabric descriptions and testing results in a tech pack, manufacturers can produce garments that meet the desired specifications and quality standards.

• GSM testing is an important aspect of fabric evaluation, particularly for knitwear fabrics. GSM, or Grams Per Square Meter, reflects the weight and thickness of the fabric. To calculate the GSM of a fabric, a circular piece of the fabric is cut to an even size of 11.2 cm and weighed. The weight of the fabric is then used to determine the GSM. This measurement is important in determining the appropriate use of fabric in a particular garment and ensuring consistency across multiple batches of fabric.
• Yarn Count is an important aspect of fabric testing and it refers to the thickness of the yarn used in the fabric. It is calculated by its mass per unit length and its unit of measurement is "tex". Yarn manufactured by the compact spinning system is known for its better smoothness, higher luster, and improved abrasion resistance compared to classical yarn. It has 40-50% better abrasion resistance, 20-30% lower hairiness as measured with the Uster apparatus, 60% lower hairiness as measured with the Zweigle apparatus, 8-15% higher tenacity and elongation at break, and smaller mass irregularity. Understanding yarn count is crucial in determining the quality and characteristics of the fabric and can help in selecting the appropriate yarn for a particular garment style.

• Fabric Composition: Fabric composition refers to the materials used to create the fabric, which can include a single type of fiber, such as 100% cotton or 100% polyester, or a blend of different fibers, such as a cotton/polyester blend. The composition of the fabric can affect its properties, such as its durability, texture, and breathability, and it is important to specify the composition in the tech pack to ensure that the correct materials are used in production.
• Color: Pantone is a color-matching system used in the fashion and design industry to ensure consistency and accuracy of colors across different materials, products, and processes. Designers and manufacturers use Pantone colors to specify and communicate the exact shade of a color they want to use in their designs. Pantone provides a wide range of color shades and swatches, and their color codes are recognized globally as a standard for color communication. By using Pantone colors in your tech pack, you can ensure that your fabric and garment colors are consistent and accurate throughout the production process.

At Urban Purple, we provide a comprehensive range of services that can help you build and grow your apparel brand. Our services cover the entire spectrum of brand development, from clothing design to shipping and marketing. We can help you with apparel design, tech pack design, sample development, and apparel production.

Tech Pack Design - Fashion Studio Urban Purple

A Tech Pack Designer is a crucial part of building a successful apparel brand, yet many new brands overlook this point. Don't try to do everything alone when starting your clothing line and wondering where to begin. Business is a team game and you need a team to execute the operation. You'll need a technical clothing designer, coordinators, and an apparel production house to bring your line sheet to life. Everyone should work together as a team to help build your brand's merchandise. Your job is to ensure that all segments are in sync and working together with proper coordination. Finding an integrated unit that offers all of these services can add even more value to your business. Look for a unit with integrated apparel design, tech pack design, and garment manufacturing facilities.

Benefits of an Integrated Clothing Design Studio and Manufacturer

Sourcing an integrated clothing design studio and the manufacturer is always the preferred option, particularly if you're a sourcing clothing designer and garment manufacturer. With integrated services, you can get the support you need to design and produce your brand's merchandise. Unfortunately, there are very few fashion studios and garment units that offer an end-to-end solution. One of the rare ones is Fashion Studio Urban Purple, where we assist customers with apparel design, tech pack design, sample development, and manufacturing. Our integrated fashion unit supports you from concept to customer, helping new brands make the most of their limited investment. When you can get everything in one place, it's easier to achieve your goals.

The Importance of Tech Pack Designs in Garment Manufacturing

At Urban Purple, we help you convert your ideas into factory-ready tech pack designs. Our tech pack designers can take your raw sketches and turn them into structured specifications. You can rest assured that the tech pack designs we create will be easily understood by factories, resulting in better production outcomes. Tech packs play an essential role in the sample development process and the production of garments with perfection. By specifying instructions that clothing manufacturers follow to achieve the desired outcome, tech packs reduce the time and effort needed to produce garments on a mass scale, while keeping costs low. Our tech pack designs include complete garment detailing and a graded measurement spec sheet, which helps garment units execute the production process in a structured way. This results in the development of correct patterns and samples with minimal effort, and also helps in the mass production of garments, which further reduces costs.

Preparing for Tech Pack Design and Clothing Manufacturing

Building an apparel brand is a team effort, requiring the active participation of technical designers and manufacturers in every aspect of brand development. To achieve success, you must communicate your ideas effectively and involve your team in every step of the garment development and manufacturing process. To get started, we need a detailed explanation of your ideas along with some sketches or images. However, before you can receive support on tech pack design and clothing manufacturing, some basic preparation is necessary. Here are some tips that can help you understand the steps to follow before hiring a tech pack designer.

• · Your ideas and sketches/inspiration images
• · Your Brand Logo
• · Base Measurement of any of your competitors or Brands that best fits your segment.

We would like to invite you to explore our Tech Pack Template Store, where you can find a diverse selection of pre-examined and tested fashion tech packs. Our complete tech packs include detailed measurement specifications, and size gradations from XS to XXL, and have undergone thorough testing by both our clients and our internal team. By using our reliable and high-quality tech packs, you can ensure the accuracy and production readiness of your designs, while saving valuable time and resources. Visit our store today to browse our wide selection of tech packs and find the one that best suits your needs.

Comprehensive Apparel Tech Pack Development Process for Garment Production

The Importance of Tech Pack Design in Garment Manufacturing

Producing apparel without a proper tech pack increases the likelihood of errors and product rejection. Once the mass production is complete, it's difficult to make changes or corrections, highlighting the importance of following the correct production process. This is especially critical for start-up apparel brands that should conduct proper research before venturing into apparel production. Seeking the help of a tech pack designer can significantly streamline garment manufacturing. Clothing manufacturers rely heavily on technical package development to execute apparel production. Preparing an apparel tech pack requires knowledge of the entire garment manufacturing process, as well as practical experience and skill. Collaborating with a skilled tech pack designer can help ensure that the manufacturing process is executed efficiently and accurately, resulting in a high-quality final product.

Investing In High-Quality Tech Packs For Efficient And Accurate Production

Designing a tech pack is a critical process that requires the tech pack designer to gather information from all aspects of the garment development life cycle. As a result, the role of the technical designer is of utmost importance and requires careful attention to detail. However, many apparel brands are hesitant to bear the cost of creating a tech pack, despite the critical role it plays in the manufacturing process. A tech pack consists of several components, and the specific details of each component will vary depending on the style being developed. It's important to carefully analyze the client's needs to determine which components of the tech pack are necessary for each particular style. This can help ensure that the garment is produced efficiently, accurately, and to the desired quality standard.

Determining Fair Rates For Freelance Tech Pack Designers

As a Technical Fashion Designer, the standard price rate for freelance tech pack design varies depending on the level of experience, the complexity of the project, and other factors. It's important to keep in mind that tech pack design is a critical component of the garment production process, and requires practical experience and knowledge of the entire production cycle, from print and stitching to washing and finishing. Therefore, it's essential to consider the value that a skilled technical designer can bring to your project when determining a fair rate for their services. Ultimately, investing in a high-quality tech pack can save you time, money, and frustration in the long run, by minimizing errors and ensuring a smooth production run. I have written a detailed post regarding the charges of the tech pack designer in the post " Quote for Clothing Tech Pack Design ". You will find a piece of detailed information on that post.

Looking for ready-made tech packs for generic styles? Visit our tech pack template store and choose from a wide variety of pre-tested and complete tech packs. Our templates include detailed garment measurement spec sheets with size gradation, saving you valuable time and resources. With our pre-tested tech packs, you can rest assured that your production process will be smooth and error-free. Browse our selection today and find the perfect tech pack for your project.

Key Factors for Launching a Successful Apparel Brand

Understanding Your Target Market for Successful Apparel Branding

To start an apparel brand successfully, it's essential to understand the preferences of your target customers. There's no sense in developing a product that won't sell. As with any business, a customer-focused approach is critical. It's important to note that people's tastes change slowly, no matter how they present themselves. Therefore, assuming that your customers won't buy conventional styles is incorrect. While creativity is admirable, catering to a large audience is best done by making conservative choices.

How to communicate your vision of your style to a technical clothing designer?

When explaining your ideas to a technical clothing designer, it's important to avoid using subjective terms in your comments. For instance, terms like "cool color" are too vague and may not convey the intended meaning. What seems "cool" to you may not be the same for the technical clothing designer, as there can be a difference in perception between the client and the designer. Therefore, it's essential to be precise and clear in your comments to ensure that the technical clothing designer understands your vision accurately.

Many clients find it challenging to articulate their style ideas, but it's crucial to put them on paper with sketches and explanations to convey them to a technical designer. With a little effort, you can complete this task effectively by following these steps. First, research the latest market trends and explore the styles of other brands' eCommerce websites to get a close vision of what you want. Next, identify any gaps in the details and comment on the desired embellishments and other aspects of your style to create a clear picture of your vision. With these steps completed, you can easily communicate your style ideas to a fashion tech pack designer.

Constant Change in Design Idea and How it Affect Tech Pack Design & Production

Apparel brands often ask tech pack designers how many times they can change the designs, as their ideas may not look the way they expected in reality. However, frequent changes can pose a significant challenge for the technical designer, as altering the design idea may require a complete overhaul of the tech pack. This problem is compounded when the brand keeps changing their ideas over time, as this requires the designer to invest more time and effort into the project. When the clothing designer's hard work does not align with the brand's expectations, it can lead to a decrease in motivation and, ultimately, lower satisfaction levels for both the client and the designer. Therefore, it's important for apparel brands to be clear and consistent in their design ideas to minimize the need for extensive changes, and to work collaboratively with the technical designer to achieve their desired outcome.

We invite you to visit our Tech Pack Template Store, where you can find a wide selection of pre-examined and tested fashion tech packs. Our complete tech packs come with detailed measurement specifications, including size gradation from XS to XXL, and our fits and measurements have been thoroughly tested both internally and by our clients. By using our tech packs, you can ensure that your designs are accurate and production-ready, saving you valuable time and resources. Visit our store today to browse our selection of reliable, high-quality tech packs.