Learn the Key Elements of an Apparel Tech Pack
- Suzy Wakefield
- Apr 15
- 5 min read
In the last post, I broke down why tech packs matter more than most founders realize. Not as paperwork, but as the thing that determines whether your product actually comes out the way you intended.
This is the next layer.
Because once you understand that a tech pack is the backbone of your product, the question becomes: what actually needs to go into it to make it work?
Not theoretically. In practice.
These are the pieces I’ve found to be non-negotiable for alignment from design through production.
On-Body Visualization: Where Proportion Gets Defined
Before measurements and construction, there needs to be clarity on how this will live on the body. Make sure it's a life of intention.
This can take a few forms:
A sketch over a photo
A marked-up fit image
A draped reference
What matters is that it answers one or more of these, as applicable:
How fitted or relaxed is it?
Where does the neckline actually sit?
What is the proportion of the details, such as pockets or bands?
In swim or bras, how much coverage and support is expected, and where does that sit on the body?
This step is often skipped or rushed.
But this is what everything else builds from. Without it, measurements are abstract. With it, they start to mean something. And they start being something that someone can ask questions about.
Flat Sketches: The Detail Pass That Forces Decisions
Front and back flats, as well as detailed areas drawn for clarity, are imperative for anyone reading the tech pack to understand the garment.
This is where you define:
Closures and hardware
Seam lines and paneling
Stitching and finishes
Edge treatments and proportions one step further
Drawing the flat is not about making it look good. It’s about making your design clear.
It’s about forcing yourself to decide what the garment actually is. This is the part of the process where you zoom in all the way. If something isn’t resolved here, it will come back later.
Measurements and POMs: Making the Vision Measurable
This is where you have to know what you want. Or at least start to.
A few principles that consistently work:
Tie every POM back to your flat sketch. Number them clearly so there is no confusion.
Keep it as simple as possible. If you give too many measurements, you can accidentally create conflict. For example, if you provide the total across the shoulder as well as the neckline width, you don’t need a single shoulder.
Always show placement visually. Include an image that shows exactly where each POM is taken. Different teams measure differently. Your version is the one that you and anyone you are working with need to understand.
For instance, some teams measure chest 1” below the armhole by default. But if your armhole is unusually high or low, you may want that measurement taken from a different reference point. That’s your call. It just needs to be clearly shown.
And this is where documentation becomes critical. Once it’s written and shown, no one has to rely on memory. Or interpretation.
Construction: Clarity Over Perfect Terminology
This is your chance to think through how the garment is actually built.
And you don’t need to know the exact name for everything.
Construction pages are where:
Flat sketches
Reference images
Notes and callouts
come together to explain the garment.
If you don’t know what a stitch or finish is called, take a photo of something you like, mark it up, and include it.
Factories would much rather work from something clear than something technically correct but vague.
Terminology is not universal. People working a few blocks apart can call the same thing by completely different names. A visual removes that risk.
BOM (Bill of Materials): Where Organization Starts Early
This is one area where I’ll be honest. I still have to remind myself to start earlier than I think I need to.
It’s easy to leave some of the items until later. But the earlier you begin building this out, even with placeholders, the better your process will run.
A strong BOM should include:
A few things to keep in mind:
It’s completely appropriate to add what you know and ask your vendor to fill in the gaps when it comes to construction elastics, interface, and the like
If you already know how you’ll color block, or that there is a possibility to do so, separate those material sections early on
Even vendor-sourced items should have identifiers so you can track what was selected
Keep a record and swatched trim card for everything, especially if you ever think you will duplicate in another factory.
This is what allows you to recreate your product exactly, even as things evolve. And to connect what works to how it feels, stretches, and performs on and off the garment.
The Role Each Piece Plays
Each of these sections does something different.
On-body visuals define proportion
Flats define the details
Measurements make it measurable
Construction explains how it comes together
BOM tracks what it’s made of
Individually, they matter.
Together, they are what make your product buildable. And producible.
The Part Most People Skip
I still build the first version of most tech packs myself.
Not because I don’t have other people who can do it. But because working through each of these sections is how the product actually gets defined. And designs get translated into garments.
You can’t shortcut that thinking.
What This Means
A strong tech pack doesn’t come from filling in a template. It comes from making decisions, documenting them clearly, and giving your partners something they can actually execute against. And ask questions about.
And even then, it’s not a one-and-done document.
It evolves.
We’ll get into that in upcoming posts. How to update, comment on, and manage changes so your tech pack continues to support the product rather than slow it down.
Because creating it is one thing.
Keeping it useful is what gets you to production. Successfully and repeatedly.
If this helped you see your product differently, I share more like this every week, what actually happens inside development, and how to make better decisions earlier.
→ Get future insights like this here
Book a call if you are developing an apparel brand and want clarity on aligning your product strategy, aesthetics, and best practices for founders. A focused conversation can help you sharpen your concept, avoid missteps, and build with intention from the start.
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