What a tech pack is for
A tech pack is the document a factory uses to make, measure and check your garment. It is not a mood board and it does not need to be beautiful. It needs to answer every question the pattern maker, the cutter, the sewing line and the inspector will ask, without anyone having to message you. For a custom yoga wear program, a good tech pack is the single most effective way to shorten sampling.
You do not need specialist software. A clear spreadsheet and a few flat sketches are enough, as long as every section below is filled in and each page carries the style number and revision date.
The sections a yoga apparel tech pack needs
| Section | What it contains | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Cover sheet | Style number, name, season, route (seamless or cut and sew), base size, revision history | Everyone |
| Flat sketches | Front, back and inside views, with callouts for seams and features | Pattern maker, sewing line |
| Bill of materials | Fabric, lining, elastic, thread, cups, labels, trims, packaging | Purchasing, factory |
| Construction details | Seam types, stitch types, edge finishes, waistband build | Sewing line or knit programmer |
| Points of measure | Each measurement, how to take it, base size value and tolerance | Pattern maker, inspector |
| Grading | Values for every size | Pattern maker |
| Colorways and artwork | Color standards, logo method, placement and size | Dye house, printer |
| Labels and packing | Label content and position, hang tag, polybag, size sticker, carton marks | Finishing and packing |
| Test requirements | Tests and acceptance criteria for fabric and garment | Mill, factory, lab |
Flat sketches with callouts
Draw the garment flat, front and back, and add an inside view where it matters, such as a waistband with a hidden pocket or a bra with pad openings. Use callouts with arrows to name each feature: high-rise waistband, diamond gusset, side drop-in pocket, flatlock seam at inseam, bonded hem, racerback. For seamless styles, mark where rib, compression or mesh zones start and end, measured from fixed points such as the top of the waistband.
Bill of materials
List every material with enough detail for someone else to buy it. For the main fabric that means composition, base and finished GSM with tolerance, knit structure and finish, for example a nylon and spandex interlock in the 230-280 GSM range, smooth or brushed. Add elastic width and type, thread type, cup type (removable or molded), label materials and packaging items. Where a supplier minimum applies to a trim, note it, because trims often set the real MOQ. Our legging spec sheet fields note goes into the fabric lines.
Construction details
Name the seam and stitch type for each seam: flatlock for visible seams against the skin, coverstitch for hems, bonded or laser-cut edges where you want a clean finish. Describe the waistband build: how many layers, how tall, whether elastic is enclosed, where the seam sits. Waistband height is often in the 4-6 in reference area for high-rise styles, but the exact height is confirmed on your tech pack, not assumed. Describe gusset shape and size, pocket opening and depth, and how cups are inserted.
Points of measure and tolerances
This is the section that saves the most time. For each point of measure, write how it is taken, the base size value and a tolerance. Without tolerances, every millimeter becomes a discussion.
| Point of measure (leggings) | How to measure | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Waist, relaxed | Edge to edge along top of waistband, laid flat | Also record waist extended |
| Hip | Straight across at a stated distance below waist | State the distance on the tech pack |
| Front rise and back rise | From crotch seam to top of waistband | Back rise drives coverage in forward folds |
| Thigh, knee, leg opening | Straight across at stated points | Leg opening affects how the hem sits |
| Inseam | Crotch seam to hem | Common options include 25 in for 7/8 length and 28 in for full length |
| Waistband height | Top edge to waistband seam | Confirmed on tech pack |
Set tolerances per point, tighter on short measurements and wider on long ones, and agree them with the partner factory before the first sample. Knitted, high-stretch garments are measured relaxed and laid flat; state that in the instructions.
Grading
Write the value for every point of measure in every size, or give grade rules per size step. Extended sizes may need their own grade rules or a separate block rather than a straight extension. See size chart and grade rules.
Colorways and artwork
Reference each color to a physical standard you can send, and state which color is the lightest so opacity is approved on it. For logos, give the method (heat transfer, silicone, reflective print, embroidery), the artwork file, the size and the exact placement measured from fixed points. For sets, say which pieces must match each other. Logo methods compares the options.
Labels and packing
For the US market, the label must carry fiber content by percentage, country of origin and the dealer identity such as an RN number under 16 CFR 303, plus care instructions under 16 CFR 423. Specify label position, size sticker, hang tag placement, polybag and any warnings, and give carton marks by style, color and size. Our US labeling rules note explains each element.
Test requirements
List the tests and acceptance levels you need, for example colorfastness to laundering to AATCC 61, to perspiration to AATCC 15 or ISO 105-E04 with grade 3-4 as a common acceptance, pilling to ASTM D4970, dimensional change to AATCC 135 and stretch and growth to ASTM D2594. Add a practical opacity check in the lightest color. These tell the mill and factory what the fabric has to pass, not only what it has to look like.
Common gaps that cost a sample round
- A hip measurement with no stated distance from the waist, so factory and buyer measure in different places.
- Fabric described as "buttery" with no composition or GSM, so the sample arrives in something else.
- Logo size given but not placement, so it lands on a seam or a pocket opening.
- No lightest color named, so opacity is approved in black only.
Revisions and control
Every change after a sample round gets a new revision date and a short change log on the cover sheet. The factory should always be working from the latest revision, and the pre-production sample is approved against a named revision. When the tech pack is ready, send it to the desk with your references, and we will check it for gaps before it goes to the partner factory.