Tech Pack 101: What Your Activewear Manufacturer Needs From You
If you have ever requested a quote for custom activewear and received a wide range of prices back, the difference is almost always the tech pack. A tech pack — sometimes called a spec sheet or specification package — is the single document that turns your design idea into something a factory can actually quote, sample and produce.
At OMI Apparel we review dozens of new brand enquiries every month. Brands that send a clear tech pack get accurate quotes in 24 hours. Brands that only send reference photos wait days for clarification questions. Here is exactly what a good tech pack contains, why each section matters, and what to do if you don’t have one yet.
What Is a Tech Pack?
A tech pack is a blueprint for one garment style. It tells the sample room what to make, the factory what materials to buy, and QC what to check. Think of it as the contract between your design and the finished product: if it is not in the tech pack, it is open to interpretation — and interpretation is where sample rounds go wrong.
The 7 Essential Sections of an Activewear Tech Pack
1. Technical Flats
Front, back and side views drawn in black and white, with callouts pointing to every construction detail: seam types, stitch classes, placements of logos, zippers and elastic. A photo of a competitor garment is not a substitute — photos hide seam details that flats make explicit.
2. Measurement Spec Chart
A table of every measurable point — chest width, body length, sleeve opening, inseam, waistband height and so on — with tolerances (typically ±0.5 cm to ±1 cm). Include the sample size measurements and the graded measurements for every size you plan to order. For leggings and compression wear, add stretch measurements taken with the fabric under tension.
3. Bill of Materials (BOM)
Every fabric, trim, thread, label, and packaging component listed with its specification: composition, weight (GSM), width, color code (Pantone TPX/TCX), supplier reference, and consumption per garment. This is the section factories use to price your style — vague BOMs are the #1 cause of quote revisions.
4. Stitch and Seam Specifications
Activewear lives and dies by its seams. Specify stitch classes (e.g. 401 chainstitch, 605 coverstitch / four-needle six-thread for flatlock feel), seam allowances, SPI (stitches per inch), and where reinforcing or bartacks are required. If your supplier offers a standard, match it to your price tier: four-needle six-thread costs more than three-thread overlock but is expected in premium leggings.
5. Artwork and Placement
Logos, prints, heat transfers, and embroidery at actual size (in millimeters), with placement measured from a defined point (e.g. “center chest, 18 cm down from HPS”), plus color references and application method. Always attach print-ready vector files (AI, PDF or EPS) separately.
6. Colorways
A simple table listing each colorway with Pantone codes for every fabric and trim in the BOM. Digital mockups help, but factories dye and cut to codes, not pictures.
7. Grading Rules
How each measurement changes from size to size (e.g. +4 cm chest per size). Without grading rules, your XL is just a guess scaled from your M.
What If You Don’t Have a Tech Pack?
Good news: most early-stage brands don’t. At OMI Apparel we build tech packs free of charge for sampling projects. You can start with:
- A reference garment or two (we measure and reverse-engineer the spec)
- Sketches or AI-generated design images
- A target price range and target market (EU, US, or both — this affects sizing and compliance)
From those inputs our merchandisers create the full package — flats, spec chart, BOM, stitch details and graded measurements — for your approval before any fabric is cut.
Quick Self-Check Before You Send
- Can someone who has never seen your design make the sample from the tech pack alone?
- Does every material have a code, not just a color name?
- Are tolerances stated, or only target numbers?
- Are print files vector and at true scale?
If you answered “no” to any of these, ask your factory to review the pack before sampling — it is far cheaper than a second sample round.
Work With OMI Apparel
OMI Apparel is a full-package activewear manufacturer in Quanzhou, China, producing yoga wear, gym wear, swimwear and compression garments for EU and US brands since 2008. MOQ starts at 200 pieces per style, with 100,000+ pieces monthly capacity and in-house pattern making, sampling and tech pack development.
Send us your design — even just a sketch — and get a free tech pack and quotation within 24 hours.
