When you send a garment design to a factory, you expect the finished order to match it. Yet a note such as “place embroidery at the neckline” leaves several decisions open. How far should the motif sit from the finished edge? Should it change size across the range? What should the reverse feel like against the skin?
A clear garment tech pack answers these questions before the factory commits to materials and production. It gives your design, buying and manufacturing teams a shared set of instructions, with a record of the decisions they have approved.
This garment tech pack checklist helps brands working with a clothing manufacturer in India review those instructions. It pays particular attention to printed and embroidered garments, where placement, construction and finishing need careful agreement.
What is a garment tech pack checklist
A garment tech pack checklist is the technical file that explains how to make and check a style. It brings together drawings, material specifications, measurements, construction details and approval records. The manufacturer uses it during costing, sampling and production.
Techpacker’s guide to tech packs identifies technical drawings, materials, measurements, construction and revision history among the core contents. The useful question for a buyer is whether each instruction is clear enough for the next person to follow.
What should a garment tech pack include
Use this checklist when preparing a new style or reviewing a file before production approval.
| Part of the file | Information to confirm |
| Style identification | Style code, revision date, colourways and responsible contacts |
| Technical drawings | Front, back and detail views showing the intended construction |
| Measurements | Measuring points, method, units, base size, grading and tolerances |
| Materials | Fabric and trim specifications, item references and approval status |
| Sewing | Seam construction, stitch requirements, thread and edge finishes |
| Surface work | Print scale, embroidery placement, artwork references and reverse finish |
| Testing | Relevant methods, test conditions and agreed acceptance limits |
| Labels and packing | Approved artwork, placement, size ratios and packing instructions |
| Approvals | Sample references, closed comments and permission for the relevant work |
Keep quantities, target cost, destination market and delivery requirements with the order brief. These details help the manufacturer assess whether the proposed product and production plan are workable.
1 Define how each garment measurement is taken
A measurement chart needs more than a list of numbers. Show the start and end of each measuring point on a drawing. State whether the garment lies flat, whether an elastic area is relaxed or stretched, and whether the measurement applies before or after washing.
For example, “chest width” needs a defined position below the armhole. A flat width and a full circumference describe different measurements.
The garment specification sheet guidance from Techpacker explains the role of measuring points, size specifications and tolerances. In your file, confirm:
- The base size used for development.
- One agreed measurement unit throughout the chart.
- The required measurement for each size, or clearly approved grading rules.
- The allowed variation at each measuring point.
A tolerance is the permitted difference from the target measurement. Agree it with the technical team for the particular garment. A neckline opening and a loose skirt hem may need different limits.
Keep fit approval and measurement approval clear in the comments. A garment can meet its listed dimensions while still restricting movement or sitting poorly on the wearer.
2 Give every material a clear reference
“Cotton fabric” leaves important sourcing decisions open. Record the fibre composition, fabric construction, weight, usable width, colour and required finish. Identify the approved fabric reference so the purchasing team can connect the specification with the correct material.
The bill of materials, often called the BOM, should also identify lining, interlining, sewing thread, buttons, zips, labels and other components. Techpacker’s BOM guide explains how the material list supports product development and production planning.
For each item, record its reference, specification and approval status. Agree who may approve a replacement if the original becomes unavailable. Even a small change in a button or interlining deserves a review of the parts of the garment it affects.
Our guide to the fabric approval process explains the checks that should support the material specification before bulk use.
For an order that requires GOTS certification, record the certification requirement and the documents expected at the appropriate stages. Global Standards explains that a transaction certificate connects certified products with shipment information and supports traceability. Agree on responsibility and timing for these records. Our GOTS certification guide for fashion brands covers the wider verification questions.
3 Describe the seam and stitch requirements
A general request for “good stitching” gives the sewing team little to measure against. Show the required seam construction, finished width, edge treatment and visible topstitching. Confirm the thread and stitch requirements with the manufacturer.
Coats’ technical guide to seam types explains that seams differ in their construction and that thread and stitch choices depend on the application. A seam specification should therefore describe how the fabric pieces join, as well as the stitching that holds them together.
Stitches per inch, or SPI, measures stitch density. Agree a suitable value through development. Increasing it does not guarantee a better seam. In its guidance on seam puckering, Coats explains that dense stitching can contribute to structural distortion in certain fabrics. Differences in how garment components respond to washing can also cause puckering.
Ask the sample team to review the proposed seam in the intended material. Record the approved result so production and quality teams can use the same reference.
4 Specify print placement and embroidery details
Artwork needs instructions that connect it to the finished garment. A digital image may show the design clearly while leaving its size or position uncertain.
For printed garments, record:
- The artwork file name, version and colour references.
- The repeat dimensions for an all-over print, or the finished size of a placed motif.
- The direction of the print on each relevant panel.
- Placement measured from a named finished edge, seam or centre line.
- Any matching needed across openings, pockets or joining seams.
For embroidery, add the thread references, motif dimensions, backing and required reverse finish. Identify areas where the decoration will touch the skin. Show which details remain constant across sizes and which require separate placement instructions.
Keep an approved physical reference for handwork where photographs cannot show the finish adequately. Agree which variations are acceptable and which affect fit, attachment or appearance. This gives both teams a practical basis for reviewing craftsmanship.
An embroidered neckline, for example, needs an agreed relationship between the finished opening and the motif. Reviewing that relationship across the size range can reveal where a single placement rule needs adjustment.
5 Link quality requirements to suitable tests
Words such as “washable” and “colourfast” need defined checks. The tech pack or its linked testing schedule should identify the property being assessed, the method, the conditions and the acceptable result.
Two established examples show why this matters:
- Garment size after washing: AATCC lists TM150 for dimensional changes of garments after home laundering in its test method directory. Agree the wash and drying conditions, number of cycles and acceptable changes with the laboratory and technical team.
- Colour transfer through rubbing: AATCC TM8 assesses colour transferred from a textile surface through rubbing and includes dry and wet procedures. Ask the laboratory whether it suits the material and print area being assessed.
These tests answer different questions. Passing a rubbing test does not establish how the garment will change size in washing.
Select other checks according to the product, its intended use and the buyer’s requirements. Record who submits samples, who reviews results and what needs further approval after a failed result. The applicable test method and the buyer’s acceptance limit should both be clear.
6 Complete the label and packing instructions
Labels and packing form part of the finished order. Include the approved artwork, dimensions, position and attachment method for each label or tag.
Confirm the destination market and assign responsibility for checking the required product information. The final label text should match the approved composition, care requirements and order details.
For a private label clothing order, also settle the folding method, individual packing, barcode placement, carton assortment and shipping marks. Show the required quantity of each size and colour in the packing instructions.
Where useful, request a packed reference garment for approval. It allows the buying team to check whether tags cover the decoration, folding affects presentation or the packing differs from the receiving warehouse’s requirements.
7 Keep revisions and approvals together
Sampling creates decisions across emails, photographs and comment sheets. Bring those decisions back into the current technical file.
Give each issue a revision number and date. Record what changed, who approved it and whether it affects materials already ordered or garments already in work. Ask the manufacturer to confirm receipt of the version intended for the next stage.
The example below is illustrative. The codes and decisions do not describe an actual Art & Craft order.
| Recorded change | Approval to confirm before work continues |
| Artwork moves from PRINT-A to PRINT-B | Confirm the new strike-off, meaning a trial print, and withdraw the old artwork |
| Button changes from BTN-01 to BTN-02 | Review the buttonhole, appearance and fastening function |
| Neckline measurement changes | Review the pattern and any embroidery placement affected |
Use specific approval wording. “Colour approved” identifies a narrower decision than “approved for bulk cutting”. If an issue remains open, record which work may proceed and which work must wait.
Our garment sampling process guide explains the purpose of the main sample stages and the evidence each approval should capture.
Review the file with the people who will use it
Before releasing the relevant bulk work, ask the buyer, merchandiser, technical team and factory to review the same garment tech pack checklist. Resolve contradictions between the drawing, measurement chart, material list and approved sample.
Give particular attention to open decisions that affect purchasing or cutting. An undecided trim may change its attachment method. A revised border print may change the way panels need to be laid out.
This review also creates a practical place to discuss material use and avoidable rework. Any claimed reduction in waste or emissions should come from measured order or factory data. A more detailed document alone does not establish an environmental saving.
Develop your collection with Art and Craft
Art & Craft Exclusives is a garment manufacturer in Jaipur. Our design and manufacturing services include technical sketches, prototypes, fabric sourcing, printing, embroidery and a dedicated sampling department.
Share your current garment tech pack checklist or reference garment, planned quantities, size range and delivery requirement. Identify the details that still need development so our team can discuss the work and approvals needed for your collection.
Contact Art & Craft to discuss your garment development and production requirements.
FAQs
Is a garment spec sheet the same as a tech pack?
A garment spec sheet commonly focuses on measurements and related technical details. A garment tech pack checklist brings those specifications together with drawings, materials, construction, artwork and approval records. Suppliers may use the terms differently, so agree on the actual contents.
Can a brand approach a manufacturer without a complete tech pack?
Yes. A sketch or reference garment can start a development discussion. Identify the missing information and agree who will prepare it, what the work costs and which details need approval before materials or production are committed.
Who should approve changes to a tech pack?
The buyer should name the people authorised to approve design, fit, materials and production decisions. The manufacturer should identify its responsible contacts. Record approvals in the current file so instructions remain traceable when team members change.
Does a complete tech pack guarantee bulk garment quality?
A complete file provides an agreed reference for making and checking the order. Material controls, production checks, suitable testing and inspection remain necessary. Compare the actual goods with the approved requirements throughout production.
