Can a manufacturer work without a tech pack?

Yes. A reference garment plus written changes is enough to start. The manufacturer turns it into a spec sheet for your approval before the sample is cut.

What file format should a tech pack be?

PDF, one file per style with a version date, plus the measurement chart as a spreadsheet and artwork as vector files such as AI, SVG, EPS or PDF.

What is the difference between a fit sample and a PP sample?

A fit sample checks fit and measurements, often before bulk fabric is ready. A pre-production (PP) sample is made in the bulk fabric, trims and colours and becomes the signed reference for production.

What measurement tolerance should I set?

Common practice is about plus or minus 1 cm on body measurements such as chest and length, and 0.5 cm or less on small points such as neck and cuff.

Do I need Pantone TCX references?

Not necessarily. A physical swatch that you keep a piece of also works. TCX references help because they are dyed on cotton and both sides can hold the same standard.

How to Send a Tech Pack: Garment Manufacturer Checklist

What a tech pack is

A tech pack, short for technical package, is the written and drawn specification for one style. It tells the pattern maker, fabric buyer, sewing line and inspector what to make, from which materials, to what measurements and how to pack it, and it is what both sides check a sample or shipment against.

Keep one file per style, with a style number and a dated version, and record every change in it. At GoodBiz, your tech pack becomes the spec our partner garment factories in India work to and the reference for our quality checks.

What a complete tech pack includes

Section	What to give
Cover page	Style number, season, version, date and size range
Flat sketches	Front and back drawings with seams and details called out
Construction details	Seam and stitch types (for example 301 lockstitch, 406 coverstitch, 504 overlock, 516 safety stitch), stitch density and seam allowances
Bill of materials (BOM)	Every fabric, trim and label with reference, composition, size, colour, placement and quantity per garment
Fabric	Composition, construction, yarn count, GSM and tolerance, width and finish
Measurement chart	Points of measure, how to measure each one, and tolerances
Grading	Measurements for every size
Colours	Pantone TCX references or physical standards per colourway
Prints and embroidery	Vector artwork, technique, size and placement
Labels	Main, size, care and fibre labels, with positions
Packing	Fold, polybag, hangtag, size ratio per carton and carton marks
Quantities	Units per size and colour, destination port and Incoterm
Testing	Shrinkage, colour fastness and any restricted substances list

Stitch numbers follow ISO 4915, so "514 overlock" means the same thing to every factory. For fabric weight, see the GSM guide.

File formats

Tech pack: one PDF per style, with version and date in the file name.
Measurements and quantities: also as XLSX or CSV, so nothing is retyped.
Artwork and labels: vector files (AI, SVG, EPS or PDF) with fonts outlined.
Patterns, if you have them: DXF in AAMA or ASTM format, base size noted.
Photos: JPG or PNG, named by the detail shown.

Points of measure and tolerances

A point of measure (POM) is a defined measurement with a code, a note on exactly where to measure, a target per size and a tolerance. The note matters: chest measured 2.5 cm below the armhole differs from chest at the armhole. Common practice is about plus or minus 1 cm on body measurements and 0.5 cm or less on small details, but set a tolerance for every POM.

Example for a men's regular fit T shirt, size M. The numbers are illustrative, not a size standard.

Code	Point of measure	How to measure	M (cm)	Tolerance (cm)
A	Body length	High point shoulder (HPS) to hem	72	±1.0
B	Chest width	Side to side, 2.5 cm below armhole	54	±1.0
C	Shoulder width	Shoulder point to shoulder point	46	±1.0
D	Sleeve length	Shoulder point to sleeve hem	21	±0.5
E	Sleeve opening	Edge to edge at hem, flat	18	±0.5
F	Armhole	Shoulder point to underarm, straight	23	±0.5
G	Neck width	Seam to seam at HPS	18	±0.5
H	Front neck drop	HPS line to centre front neck seam	9	±0.5
I	Neck rib height	Seam to edge	2	±0.2

Grading across sizes

Grading sets how each measurement changes between sizes. Each POM gets a grade rule, the amount added or removed per size. Grade rules are a design choice, not a standard, so take them from your size chart or a garment that fits your customers.

POM	S	M (base)	L	XL	Grade per size
Chest width	52	54	56	58	2.0
Body length	70	72	74	76	2.0
Sleeve length	20	21	22	23	1.0

Illustrative, in cm. Common practice is even steps through the core sizes and larger steps at bigger sizes if needed. Kidswear is graded by age or height, and children's clothing in some markets has extra safety rules, as our USA page explains. Check grading on a size set before bulk.

Colour standards and lab dips

Give each colour a reference both sides can hold. The most widely used is the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors system, whose TCX references (for example 19-4052 TCX) are dyed on cotton and so suit fabric better than paper or screen colours. A swatch of your own fabric also works if you keep a piece; a photo on screen does not.

Lab dips: the dye house dyes small swatches of the actual fabric, often two or three options.
Approval: you approve one in writing, judged in a light booth under an agreed light, commonly D65 daylight, and checked under a second light, such as store lighting, to catch metamerism (colours that match in one light but not another).
Bulk: bulk fabric is checked against the approved dip, sometimes with a spectrophotometer tolerance.
Prints: approve a strike off on the real fabric before bulk.

One TCX reference looks different on polyester and on cotton, so approve each fabric separately.

Labels for your market

Label rules follow the market where the garments are sold. Most ask for fibre composition, care instructions, country of origin ("Made in India") and the identity of the responsible company.

USA: fibre content, origin and the manufacturer or dealer identity, often an RN, under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, and care instructions under the FTC Care Labeling Rule. See exporting to the USA.
UK: fibre composition under the Textile Products (Labelling and Fibre Composition) Regulations 2012; retailers expect care symbols, though they are not legally required. See exporting to the UK.
European Union: fibre names and composition under Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011, in the language of each member state of sale. See exporting to Europe.

Other destinations are on export markets. Give label artwork, text per market and sewing position; your importer confirms the wording.

Sample stages and what each one checks

Not every order needs every stage; a repeat style may go straight to a pre-production sample.

Stage	Made from	What it checks
Proto sample	Available or similar fabric	Design, construction and first pattern
Fit sample	Fabric close to bulk, base size	Fit on a model or form, and measurements against the POM chart
Size set	Each size, or smallest, base and largest	Grading across the range
Pre-production (PP) sample	Bulk fabric, trims, labels and colours	Everything as it will be in bulk; once signed, it is the reference for production and inspection
Top of production (TOP) sample	Pieces from the first bulk output	That bulk matches the PP sample before most of the order is sewn

Bulk production starts only after written approval of the sample. Comment against POM codes, in one message per round.

Common mistakes that cause costing errors

Fabric described loosely. "Cotton jersey" can be costed many ways; give composition, yarn, construction and GSM.
No quantities by colour and size. Each colour is dyed separately, so the run per colour changes the cost.
Print details missing. Colours, size, technique and number of placements all change the price.
Trims and labels left out. Custom buttons, branded zips and woven labels cost more than stock items and take longer.
Washes or testing not stated. An enzyme wash, garment dye or laboratory test adds cost and time.
No destination or Incoterm. Delivery cannot be priced. See how to import garments from India.
Several versions in circulation. Send one dated version and mark the changes.

If you do not have a tech pack

You can still start. Send:

a reference garment, or clear photos of the front, back and details
the changes you want to fabric, GSM, colour, fit or trims
your size range and quantities per size and colour
logo and label artwork as vector files
colour references, such as Pantone TCX numbers or a swatch
the destination market and port

We measure the garment, prepare a spec sheet with points of measure, materials and construction, and send it back for your written approval before cutting the sample. That spec sheet then works as your tech pack for repeats. You can also start from a style in our products.

What happens after you send it

We review the tech pack and send any questions in one message, replying within 24 hours, Monday to Saturday.
We send a costing and a sample timeline.
The sample is made through our partner garment factories. You receive photos and measurements against your POM chart, then the physical sample.
You approve or comment, with further rounds if needed, up to the pre-production sample.
Bulk production starts only after your written approval. We check quality against the approved sample, label and pack to your instructions, and ship with export documents carrying the HSN code for each line.

How to send a tech pack to a garment manufacturer