Tech Pack Guide for Custom Sportswear

What a tech pack is

A tech pack — technical package — is the document that tells a factory exactly what to make: what the garment looks like, what it is made from, how big each size is, where every logo sits and what the labels say. It is the manufacturing equivalent of an architect's drawings: the sample is built from it, and any dispute is settled against it.

Its commercial value is that it makes quotes comparable and mistakes attributable. When three factories quote against the same specification, the prices mean something; when a production error contradicts the pack, responsibility is clear. Without one, every ambiguity is resolved on the factory floor — usually sensibly, but not always the way you imagined.

A good tech pack does not need to be long or beautifully designed. Clarity beats polish: a factory works far more easily from a well-organised six-page PDF than from a 40-page document with ambiguous measurements. Factories also quote faster against complete packs, for the simple reason that nothing needs to be asked twice.

What goes into a tech pack

Nine components cover a complete pack. Not every garment needs every row filled exhaustively — a sublimated jersey has far fewer trims than a hoodie — but every row should at least be considered.

The measurement chart and tolerances

The measurement chart is the part factories rely on most. It lists points of measure — chest width, body length, sleeve length, waist relaxed and stretched, inseam — with a value per size in centimetres and a tolerance for each. Tolerances of plus or minus 1-2 cm are standard in apparel manufacturing: specifying none invites disputes, and specifying zero invites a polite refusal, because knitted fabric moves through cutting, sewing and finishing.

State whether each value is a body measurement or a garment measurement — they differ by the ease built into the fit, and confusing the two is the most common sizing error in first-time tech packs. Grading between sizes should also be consistent; adult sportswear typically steps in roughly 5-6 cm chest increments. The size chart guide covers standard adult charts and grading in detail.

List measurements in a consistent order and state how each one is taken — garment chest, for example, is commonly measured flat about 2.5 cm below the armhole, and writing the method beside the number removes the last ambiguity. If your chart came from a previous supplier, say so: measuring conventions differ between factories, and a five-minute conversation about method is cheaper than a disputed sample round.

Artwork and colour

Logos and crests should be supplied as vector files — AI, EPS, PDF or SVG — which scale to any size without blurring. Raster files (JPG, PNG) are acceptable for all-over sublimation graphics if supplied at 300 DPI at actual print size. Specify colours as Pantone references rather than screenshots: screens display RGB, fabric is printed and dyed, and the same blue renders three different ways on three monitors. A factory can match any Pantone reference; it cannot match "the blue from my phone".

For all-over sublimated designs, ask the factory for its garment templates before finalising artwork. Sublimation prints panel by panel before stitching, so patterns must carry bleed beyond the seam lines, and elements placed exactly on a seam will sit slightly differently across sizes. Supplying artwork on the factory's own templates avoids a redraw at sampling stage.

Do you need a tech pack to place an order?

No — a tech pack speeds the process up, but it is not a requirement. ZipaSports, a custom sportswear manufacturer in Sialkot, Pakistan, runs a free design service: send a logo, a sketch or a reference image, and the studio produces a free digital mockup within 24 hours, then builds the full specification with you through sampling. This is the normal route for clubs and first-time brand founders. Established brands arriving with complete tech packs get faster quotes and usually need fewer sample rounds. Both routes end at the same production line — 15-25 business days after design approval — they simply start from different points, and both start the same 24-hour mockup clock. Browse the basketball or gym leggings ranges to see the garment families these specifications feed into.

Common tech pack mistakes

• RGB or screenshot colours instead of Pantone references — the printed result will not match the screen, and the factory has nothing objective to match against.
• Low-resolution logos. A 200-pixel PNG cannot become sharp embroidery or a clean print. Supply vectors.
• No tolerances on measurements. Every measurement needs an agreed plus-or-minus range, or acceptance becomes an argument.
• Body and garment measurements mixed in one chart without labelling which is which.
• Decoration placement described only in words ("logo on chest") — give position and size in centimetres from fixed reference points such as the shoulder seam or centre front.
• No order grid. The factory needs quantity per size per colourway to calculate fabric consumption and quote accurately.
• No label content. If the pack is silent on neck labels, size tags and care wording, you receive the factory default rather than your brand.