7 Reasons Tech Packs Are Vital For You & The Factory

What is a Technical Package?

The easiest way of understanding a tech pack is that it is the information sheet that the manufacturer uses to create a product—it’s got all the necessary components needed to manufacture the design. It acts as a blue print for your design. Usually, the designer produces tech packs as he or she consults the merchandiser, pattern maker and at times, a technical designer. If required, they can also be outsourced from third-party designers.

Whether you are tech pack expert or just starting out, the following seven reasons explaining the importance of tech packs can create smooth sailing between you and the final product of your design.

Why is it so vital?

  1. A Tech Pack serves as a blue print of the product as it efficiently communicates the buyers’ expectations to the factory. The workers don’t need to decode the design for every query; instead they can just refer to the specific point in the tech pack.
  2. A Tech Pack helps the factory estimate the resources required for construction of the style. This further enables them to allocate manpower and equipment for the completion of the order and also to decide whether certain value-additions need to be outsourced from tier-2 factories or subcontractors.
  3. A Tech Pack usually is set up by design as the initial source of development but a tech pack changes through fittings. All comments from sample approvals should be noted on the tech pack. This way you can easily track changes that you have made and can easily be shared with the factory.
  4. A Tech Pack helps determine the costs of the product since it encompasses all the components of the style and gives the estimate of the costs that will be incurred during production.
  5. A Tech Pack helps the factory to create the time and the action calendar which is basically a spreadsheet maintained by most factories that includes the target starting and ending dates of all critical events necessary to deliver the order.
  6. A Tech Pack minimizes errors and ensures co-ordination between factory departments. Manufacturing a garment is a complex procedure that requires the participation of various departments. Some processes occur successively, while some other occur simultaneously. The Tech Pack is provided to the concerned people in each of the departments, ensuring coordination between them, also minimizing error in production.
  7. A Tech Pack decreases lead-time since it facilitates all procedures such as sample production, pattern making (if required) and sewing. It keeps the buyer and the factory on the same page saving time and money from rejection. Factories can also save time in selecting suppliers of fabrics and trims since Tech Packs contain all relevant information about the raw materials required.

What do you need to know in order to create a tech pack?

  • Designers can use Adobe Illustrator to create a technical drawing or work with a technical designer.
  • Someone with pattern making or pattern knowledge must be involved with measurements & grading specification.
  • Photographs and technical drawings should be included in the tech pack. Templates can also be found online that can help organize all the information. See our store for tech pack template.
  • Separate worksheets in Excel contain details pertaining to the style such as grading, fabric& trims, fit comments. This should all be on available in one document.
  • There should also be tech packs for all labels or details for packaging which may be added to a separate tab in the excel sheet.
  • The more detailed a tech pack is, the better your first sample will be, thus minimizing error and increasing efficiency. Remember, Tech Packs are a key to bringing your designs into reality. Good luck!

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