Tech pack: what a garment manufacturer needs to cost a workwear item

Why costing depends on the tech pack

A manufacturer does not cost a garment by guesswork. At Vestra, the quotation is built from the tech pack by breaking the item down into sewing operations. This ordered list is called the operation breakdown.

Take a pair of work trousers. Its operation breakdown includes, for example: assembling the knee pockets, setting the front pockets, attaching the fly, joining the side seams and inside leg, setting the waistband, attaching the belt loops, hemming the legs, attaching the labels. Each operation calls for a specific machine and skill.

If the tech pack does not say how the hem is made, or how many pockets sit on the leg, the manufacturer has to make assumptions. The quotation may then not match the garment expected, and the gap shows up at prototype stage.

The essential elements of a tech pack

1. Flat sketches

Front and back sketches, to scale, with no styling effects. Add detail views for complex areas: pockets, closures, reinforcements, panels, hood. Each element should be referenced and linked to a line in the bill of materials.

2. The size specification sheet

The finished garment measurements for each size, with the measuring point defined (for example the waist measured flat, waistband closed). State the accepted tolerances. For CMT work, attach the patterns graded in all sizes: the manufacturer cuts from your patterns.

3. The bill of materials and trims

This is the list of everything that makes up the garment:

• Fabrics: reference, composition, weight, colour and origin.
• Linings and interlinings, if any.
• Trims: zips (type, length), buttons, press studs, hook and loop fastening, cords, elastic.
• Tapes: retroreflective tapes, reinforcement tapes, with their width.
• Threads: type and colour, by area if needed.

Fabric origin deserves a line of its own. For a garment made in Tunisia, it largely determines duty free entry into the EU.

4. Construction details

This section weighs heavily in the costing. For each area, specify:

• the seam and stitch type (lockstitch, chainstitch, blind stitch);
• topstitching: number of rows, spacing;
• hems: depth, method;
• piping, reinforcements, bar tacks;
• pocket construction.

This information also tells the manufacturer which special machines to use. Attaching tape with a 4 needle machine, a 12 needle chainstitch seam or a shaped pocket opening is not costed like a plain seam.

5. Branding

Embroidered logo, heat transfer or another technique: state the technique, position, dimensions and colours. Attach the logo files.

6. Labelling

List all labels: brand, size, composition, care, and their position. In the EU, Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 requires the label or marking to show the name and percentage by weight of all fibres. This labelling must be in the official language or languages of the Member State where the product is made available to the consumer. If your garments are sold in several countries, plan for the corresponding languages.

7. Packing

Folding, individual bagging, bag labels, number of pieces per carton, carton marking. These operations are part of the operation breakdown and are included in the quotation.

8. Quantities and target standards

Quantities by size and by colour allow cutting to be planned. If the garment must meet a standard, state which one. For example, ISO 20471 sets the requirements for high visibility clothing: colour, retroreflection, minimum areas of materials and their placement on the garment. These requirements affect the choice of materials and the construction of the garment.

Common mistakes

• A sketch without measurements: the manufacturer cannot estimate fabric consumption.
• An incomplete bill of materials: a forgotten trim holds up production.
• Missing seam details: the manufacturer picks a method that may not match your expectations.
• Several versions of the file in circulation: date and number each version.
• A sample sent without a tech pack: it helps to understand the product but does not replace measurements and the bill of materials.

At Vestra

At Vestra, every quotation starts from the tech pack, broken down into sewing operations. The factory has special machines that cover the usual details of workwear: piping machine, bottom hemmers (lockstitch and chainstitch), 4 needle tape attaching, 12 needle chainstitch machine, blind stitch, pocket shaping, automatic hook and loop attaching and heat transfer. Embroidery is carried out by partners. A complete tech pack allows each operation to be assigned to the right machine and the right line.

To get a costing, send your tech pack to sales@vestratextile.com.

Frequently asked questions

Can an existing garment serve as the basis for a quotation?

Yes, as a visual reference. But costing is done from the tech pack: measurements, materials, construction details. The sample complements the tech pack; it does not replace it.

Are patterns needed at the quotation request stage?

Under CMT, the manufacturer cuts from the client's patterns, so attaching them from the start makes the review easier. The quotation itself is based on the tech pack and its operation breakdown.

What comes after the quotation?

A prototype is made and submitted to the client. Production, which covers cutting, sewing and quality control, only starts once this prototype has been approved.

Vestra Manufacturing, workwear manufacturer in Tunisia →

Sources

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