Design Tech Pack for a Garment Workshop: Template and Sections

A design tech pack turns a clothing model into exact instructions so a garment workshop can produce it without phone calls or misunderstandings: model details, a technical drawing of the front and back, a measurement chart by size, materials and trims, the assembly sequence and the order quantity. It is built once per model and goes with the pattern, for a small batch or for series production. The complete template, ready to copy, is below.

Modeltex production guide. Updated on Sep 8, 2026.

What a design tech pack is and when to use it

A tech pack goes with the pattern when a model moves from the design table to the workshop that cuts and sews it. It replaces verbal explanations or loose WhatsApp messages: it puts the model, measurements, materials and assembly in one place, so anyone in the workshop can produce the garment identical to the approved sample.

It is used when outsourcing a new model, when working with more than one workshop, or when moving a sample into series production. It does not replace the pattern: it goes with it. The pattern gives the shape of each piece; the tech pack gives the rest of the information.

The template: the sections a tech pack must have

These are the fixed sections, in the order in which it is best to complete them. The tech pack is built once per model, not per size.

General details: model name, internal code, season, category (women's, men's, girls', boys', baby or unisex) and garment type, plus the date and who wrote the tech pack.
Photo or technical drawing, front and back: a flat sketch in clean line, marking seams, topstitching, pockets and the placement of buttons, logos or appliques. A photo of the sewn sample complements the drawing, it does not replace it.
Measurement chart by size: each key measurement of the pattern (bust, waist, hip, lengths, back width) in centimeters, for each size to be produced. Example in the next section.
Materials and trims list: the exact fabric (name, composition, width, color) and trims: thread, buttons, zippers, elastic, interfacing and labels. Detailed further below.
Assembly sequence or construction notes: the order in which the garment is assembled and what is not visible in the pattern or the drawing, such as the stitch type by area.
Measurement tolerances: the margin accepted between the finished garment and the measurement chart, without it being considered a defect.
Contact details and order quantity: who is ordering, total quantity and quantity by size, delivery date and where it is delivered.

Measurement chart by size: how to build it

There is no single or official chart: each brand builds its own according to the fit it wants, and it even varies between models depending on the fabric. What is fixed is the structure: one row per measurement and one column per size, in centimeters (1 in = 2.54 cm), taken on the finished garment, not on the body. As an approximate example, and not as a market standard, a women's t-shirt in an S to XL size range could look like this:

Size S: bust circumference 92 cm, waist 74 cm, total length 60 cm.
Size M: bust circumference 96 cm, waist 78 cm, total length 61 cm.
Size L: bust circumference 100 cm, waist 82 cm, total length 62 cm.
Size XL: bust circumference 104 cm, waist 86 cm, total length 63 cm.

Why those numbers are an example, not a standard

Those values show the format, not a real market measurement: each manufacturer's chart depends on the fit, on the fabric (a jersey with elastane is not the same as a woven fabric) and on the size range. Sizing standards differ from country to country, and in practice each brand still defines its own. What the tech pack needs is the real chart for that model, validated with a sewn sample: if the pattern already comes with the size range solved, like Modeltex digital patterns, that chart already exists and only has to be transferred to the order's tech pack.

Materials and trims: what to detail so nothing is missing at cutting

The most common reason a workshop stops cutting is a badly specified trim: the color of a thread, the diameter of a button, the width of an elastic. The more precise the list, the less improvisation.

Fabric: trade name, composition (combed cotton, gabardine, pique, corduroy), roll width and color.
Thread: weight (for example 120), type (polyester or cotton) and color, stating whether the topstitching thread is different.
Buttons: quantity per garment, diameter in millimeters, material (mother-of-pearl, polyester or metal) and color.
Zippers: type (invisible, toothed or regular), length in centimeters and color.
Elastic: width in centimeters and type (flat, cord or waistband).
Interfacing, labels and appliques (embroidery, print, patch): quantity per garment and placement.

Assembly sequence and construction notes

Write down the order in which the garment is sewn and what a new operator needs to know: which machine to use on each seam, how each edge is finished and how it is pressed at the end.

As an example, in a basic t-shirt: join the shoulders with overlock, attach the collar, sew the sleeves, close the side seams, twin-needle hem and press. In models with a particular technique, such as a faced pocket or an invisible zipper, writing out the step by step keeps the finish from varying between lots or workshops.

Measurement tolerances: how much margin to leave

Tolerance is the margin of difference between the finished garment and the measurement chart that is accepted without considering it an error, because cutting, fabric pulling and pressing produce some minimal variation.

As an approximate reference and not a fixed standard, circumferences (bust, waist, hip) usually tolerate around 1 cm, lengths between 0.5 and 1 cm, and small measurements (neck, cuff) between 0.3 and 0.5 cm. A fabric with elastane allows a wider range than a rigid woven, and each manufacturer adjusts theirs according to experience.

What format to build the tech pack in and how to send it

The tech pack does not need special software: Word or Excel to complete it and a PDF to send it is enough. One or two pages per model are enough if each section goes straight to the data.

It is sent together with the pattern, whether your own pattern or a purchased digital pattern, like those in the Modeltex catalog, which already come with the size range solved: then the tech pack only adds fabric, trims, quantity and delivery date. If the model does not have a pattern yet, it is best to solve that part first, even with custom patternmaking from a garment, photo or idea.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a design tech pack to send to a garment workshop?

With seven fixed sections on one or two pages: general details, a photo or technical drawing of the front and back, a measurement chart by size, materials and trims, assembly sequence, measurement tolerances, and contact details with the order quantity. It is completed once per model and sent as a PDF together with the pattern.

What is the difference between a tech pack and the pattern of a model?

The pattern defines the exact shape of each piece, on paper or as a digital file. The tech pack goes with that pattern and adds what the pattern alone does not convey: materials, trims, tolerances, assembly and order quantity. They are always sent together.

Is a photo required, or is the technical drawing enough?

The technical drawing is the indispensable part, because it shows in clean line details that a photo does not show precisely, such as the exact placement of a button or a topstitch. A photo of a sewn sample is a good complement, but it does not replace the drawing.

What happens if I do not include the materials and trims list in the tech pack?

The workshop usually stops cutting to ask about the missing data, or improvises a similar trim that changes the result compared with the approved sample. Detailing fabric, thread, buttons and zippers avoids those delays.

How much measurement tolerance is normal in a tech pack?

As an approximate reference, circumferences usually tolerate around 1 cm, lengths between 0.5 and 1 cm, and small measurements such as neck or cuff between 0.3 and 0.5 cm. It is not a fixed standard: each manufacturer defines its margin according to the fabric and validates it with the sewn sample.

Is a tech pack also useful if I buy a ready-made digital pattern?

Yes, and it gets simpler: if the pattern already comes with the size range solved, like Modeltex digital patterns, the measurement chart of the tech pack is completed directly with that data. You only have to add fabric, trims, quantity and delivery date.

More guides

Sewing patterns ready for production, with the full size range, in the Modeltex catalog.