Our previous blog post, ‘What is a Tech Pack?’ gives an outline of the purpose of a tech pack. 'Now that you understand the purpose of the tech pack, let's take it to the next level and help you understand the way to create your own tech pack.
That’s what we are about. Fashion Production Academy is about actionable steps and practical advice. So let’s get started.
We gathered questions from fashion designers who are in the same position as you and we will try and answer them in this post.
Let's start with the most common question:
Can I create a tech pack myself?
Tech packs are usually created by trained and experienced garment technicians. In order to create a tech pack that will support your manufacturer, you need the following skills and knowledge:
You'll need to be
If you do not have all the above, we would suggest looking for a garment technician or a technical designer to assist you. In our Fashion Designer Toolkit, alongside tech pack templates and examples we provide basic training on managing your team.
Another common question: Why are there drawings not images?
Many designers are often puzzled by the boring black and white drawings. The drawings on the tech pack are called flat sketches.
Don't be fooled by dull black and white images; they take time and skill to produce. The drawing should include a front and back image with an option of the side or internal view.
The most common way of producing them is using Adobe Illustrator but other software such as Corel Draw or different graphic design and illustration apps could be used (Inkscape, Affinity Designer).
Don't be too creative with your sketches as shading and different colours are distracting. An overpopulated tech pack with unnecessary information could be overwhelming and misleading.
Images are usually added as supporting material and can't replace a flat sketch.
Here you must put your creativity aside and concentrate on simplicity and precision. A clean and clinical layout will enable your clothing manufacturer to read your instructions and comments easily.
Questions about price are often raised.
The next question is: What are the costs of creating a tech pack?
This is an important question. It would be ideal to manage your fashion business cash flow and budget for the tech pack costs in advance. However, the answer is far more complicated.
The cost of the tech pack development will depend on the complexity of your garment and the qualifications of the person creating it for you. There are many competitively priced offers from Fiver and People Per Hour. We tried an experiment and outsourced the same tech pack to several freelancers from the same website. Based on our experience, we would suggest avoiding these sites. It would be better for you to have a more competent level of support. Look for someone who will not only make flat drawings and fill up the table but will also help you to develop your product and make it more commercial.
When factoring in the cost of tech pack creation remember that a tech pack is a living and breathing document. It is never static and changes as your style evolves; some of the maintenance you can do yourself. Refer to our Fashion Designer Toolkit where we look closely at tech pack maintenance and how you can control it.
Here is the final question to conclude our blog: Do I really need a tech pack? Why can't I just use a sample?
The advantage of the tech pack is that all the information is on one page. A glance over the page allows your sewing factory manager to quickly check production quality. In a larger sewing factory, the tech pack will be moving from one department to another. It will not be convenient to move your proto samples across the factory floor. There is also the risk of losing the sample. It would be more expensive to replicate your proto sample than to re-print a tech pack.
Most designers do not realise that a tech pack has benefits beyond supporting your clothing manufacturer. When correctly signed and dated, it becomes your brand's legal shield. For this reason, when you examine the templates from our Fashion Designer Toolkit, you will notice that every page carries our brand information and the creation date.
Whatever you choose, always remember that a tech pack is one of the most important documents you will create in the management of your clothing production. Even the slightest mistake could cause irreparable damage to your cash flow, production quality or the relationship with your clothing manufacturer. Therefore, you must double, and triple check the content. Always ensure that a skilled and experienced team is helping you bring your ideas to life.
Our Power-Hour Package will be suitable for you when your tech pack needs a second pair of eyes to review it.