What Should Be in an Activewear Tech Pack? A Factory-Ready Checklist

An activewear tech pack does not need to be perfect before you contact a manufacturer. It does, however, need to show what has already been decided, what is still open for development, and what the factory should not be expected to guess.

That distinction matters. When product instructions are spread across sketches, screenshots, emails, and chat messages, the merchandiser, pattern maker, sample room, logo supplier, and production team may all work from slightly different information.

A clear tech pack gives those teams one controlled reference. It helps the factory understand the product, prepare a more comparable quotation, make the first sample, record changes, and transfer the approved design into bulk production.

1. What Does “Factory-Ready” Actually Mean?

“Factory-ready” does not always mean that every production detail has already been approved. It means the document contains enough information for the next stage of work.

A tech pack normally moves through three levels of readiness.

This separation prevents a common mistake: asking a startup brand to complete every production document before the factory has even reviewed the design.

A brand may not know the final fabric code or seam type when it first approaches a manufacturer. That is acceptable when the tech pack clearly states:

That instruction gives the factory a defined performance target without pretending that a specific material has already been approved.

2. Start With Clear Style Identification

The first page should identify the style before anyone begins discussing the details.

At minimum, the cover page should normally include:

• Brand or project name
• Style name
• Style number
• Product category
• Season or collection
• Sample size
• Intended size range
• Designer or project contact
• Creation date
• Current revision number
• Revision date
• Development or approval status

The same style number and revision should appear across the cover page, measurement specification, BOM, artwork files, sample comments, and approval records.

3. Technical Flats Should Explain the Product

Lifestyle photographs and inspiration images are useful for showing mood, fit, and styling. They are not a substitute for technical flats.

A factory normally needs clear front and back views. Depending on the product, it may also need:

• Side view
• Inside view
• Lining construction
• Waistband interior
• Gusset shape
• Pocket construction
• Bra cup and underband construction
• Adjustable strap details
• Zipper guard or pocket-bag construction
• Bonded or laser-cut sections
• Local enlargements of complex details

Each design callout should point to a visible part of the drawing and explain what the factory is expected to make.

The second instruction tells the pattern maker where the pocket belongs, how large the opening should be, what it should hold, and where reinforcement is required.

4. Measurement Specifications: Body Size Is Not Garment Size

One of the most important parts of an activewear tech pack is the finished garment measurement specification.

A consumer-facing size chart normally describes the body the garment is intended to fit. A production measurement sheet describes the garment itself.

Stretch activewear often uses negative ease. The finished garment may be smaller than the body because the fabric is expected to stretch during wear. That relationship depends on the fabric's extension, recovery, garment construction, and intended compression level.

What a Measurement Sheet Should Include

• POM number
• Measurement name
• Diagram showing the measurement location
• Sample-size value
• Measurement unit
• Tolerance
• Grade rule or measurements for other sizes
• Special measuring condition

Special measuring conditions matter for stretch garments. The document should explain whether a measurement is taken:

• Relaxed or extended
• Flat or around the full circumference
• Before or after washing
• With removable pads inserted or removed
• Along the seam or in a straight line

Illustrative Legging Measurement Table

The values above are illustrative examples only. They are not a universal size standard and should not be copied into a production tech pack without fit development.

Do You Need Full Grading Before the First Sample?

Not always. A first development sample can often be made from one approved sample-size specification.

Full grading becomes necessary before size-set approval and bulk production. The brand and factory should agree who is responsible for creating the grade rules and who approves them.

Leaving that responsibility unclear can result in an approved medium sample but inconsistent proportions in extra-small or extra-large sizes.

5. Fabric Information Must Go Beyond Composition

“75% nylon and 25% spandex” is a useful starting point, but it does not completely describe a fabric.

Two fabrics with the same fiber composition can have different:

• Weight
• Knitting structure
• Stretch percentage
• Recovery
• Surface appearance
• Hand feel
• Compression
• Opacity
• Pilling performance
• Colorfastness

Recommended Fabric Information

• Fiber composition
• Fabric construction or knit type
• GSM or fabric weight
• Usable width
• Two-way or four-way stretch
• Lengthwise and crosswise stretch expectations
• Recovery requirement
• Surface finish
• Target hand feel
• Color or Pantone reference
• Approved mill or supplier, when nominated
• Recycled or certification requirement
• Required performance testing

The second description is still open for material development, but it gives the sourcing team measurable boundaries.

6. Build a Complete Bill of Materials

The bill of materials, usually called the BOM, lists every material and component required to make and pack the product.

A sports bra BOM may include more than the outer fabric. It can also include lining, power mesh, elastic, cups, sliders, rings, thread, labels, logo transfers, hangtags, polybags, and barcode stickers.

Illustrative Activewear BOM

This BOM is an illustrative layout, not a finished specification for a real product.

Use a Colorway Table

When a style has several colors, do not assume every component changes automatically with the main fabric.

This prevents the factory from deciding component colors independently after the main fabric has already been approved.

7. Construction Notes Must Be Specific Enough to Execute

Construction notes explain how the garment should be assembled.

Depending on the product, they may cover:

• Seam type
• Stitch type
• Seam allowance
• Thread type
• Flatlock placement
• Overlock construction
• Coverstitch width
• Bartack locations
• Bonding width
• Reinforcement points
• Raw-edge or clean-finish requirements
• Gusset construction
• Lining attachment
• No-front-seam construction

The tech pack does not need to specify a technical value simply to sound professional. A stitch density, seam allowance, or bonding temperature should only be fixed when it is part of an approved construction standard.

The instruction should describe the intended construction and quality outcome. The final machine settings can then be confirmed during sample development and pre-production approval.

8. Logo, Artwork, Labels, and Packaging

“Logo on left leg” is not enough information for a logo supplier.

Artwork instructions should normally include:

• Vector artwork file
• Final finished dimensions
• Placement measurements
• Color reference
• Application technique
• Surface finish
• Orientation
• Approved reference sample, when available

Label Information

The tech pack should identify:

• Main label or heat-transfer branding
• Size label
• Care and content label
• Country-of-origin information
• Placement
• Finished dimensions
• Label material
• Required language

Packaging Information

Packaging details may not be needed for an early development sample, but they should be finalized before bulk packing.

• Folding method
• Individual polybag type
• Warning text
• Size sticker
• Barcode sticker
• Hangtag and attachment position
• Tissue paper or inserts
• Carton quantity
• Carton dimensions
• Carton markings
• Assortment requirements

9. State the Performance Requirement Before Naming a Test

Activewear performance requirements may include:

• Stretch and recovery
• Opacity during movement
• Colorfastness
• Pilling resistance
• Dimensional stability
• Seam strength
• Logo durability
• Perspiration resistance
• Wash appearance
• Moisture-management performance

The tech pack should first state the required product outcome. The brand, factory, buyer manual, or accredited laboratory can then confirm the appropriate test method.

Avoid adding a test number simply because it appears technical. A standard is only useful when the correct method, specimen preparation, performance level, and testing responsibility have been agreed.

10. Revision Control Is Part of the Tech Pack

A tech pack is not finished after the first sample is issued. It should be updated after every confirmed change.

Good revision control means:

• Every issue has a visible version number.
• Old versions are archived rather than silently overwritten.
• Each change is recorded in a revision log.
• Sample comments include photographs and location references.
• Required changes are separated from discussion points.
• Approved and unresolved items are clearly marked.
• The production version is locked after PPS approval.

Illustrative Revision Log

11. Common Tech Pack Gaps and Their Factory Impact

A missing detail does not always stop a sample from being made. It does mean someone must make an assumption.

12. A 10-Point Factory-Readiness Check

The following scoring tool is a practical screening method for this guide. It is not an industry standard and does not guarantee that a sample will be approved on the first attempt.

13. Pre-Sample Handoff Checklist

14. What Should You Send If You Do Not Have a Complete Tech Pack?

A brand does not need to wait until every technical page is finished before contacting a manufacturer.

At an early stage, send as much of the following as you have:

• Sketches or product photographs
• Front, back, and detail references
• Target product category
• Desired fit and support level
• Preferred fabric composition or hand feel
• Target order quantity per style and color
• Expected size range
• Logo and packaging expectations
• Target market
• Required sample or launch date

The most useful early-stage instruction is not “make it exactly like this photo.” It is an explanation of which features must be retained and which features can be developed by the factory.

This gives the development team enough direction to provide useful recommendations without copying every element blindly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Takeaway

A factory-ready activewear tech pack is not simply a collection of attractive drawings. It is a controlled set of instructions connecting the design, fit, material, construction, artwork, packaging, testing, and approval history.

The document does not have to answer every question before the first factory conversation. It does need to distinguish between confirmed requirements, factory proposals, and unresolved decisions.

When that distinction is clear, quotations are easier to compare, sample comments are easier to track, and the approved product is easier to transfer into production without relying on memory or scattered chat messages.