Tech Pack Guide for Sportswear Manufacturers
Tech Pack Guide for Sportswear Manufacturers
Last month a North American activewear brand emailed us nine inspiration images and one line: "make it like this." We sent back 23 questions. That's when they realized they weren't placing an order — they didn't have a tech pack a factory could actually work from.
Here's the uncomfortable truth we've learned running two facilities in Dongguan since 2014: about 90% of the sample rework we see on the floor isn't because someone sewed it wrong. It's because the tech pack never defined the acceptance standard. Buyers send pictures, not tolerances. They send fabric composition, not recovery rates. So we default to our own habits — and the result isn't the garment in their head.
This guide is written for brand sourcing managers, product developers, and founders. We're a sportswear factory supplier doing OEM and ODM work, and the seven-part checklist below comes from fixing the same mistakes across 1,200+ brand orders — not from a textbook.
The Five Mistakes That Break a Sportswear Tech Pack
- Inspo only, no acceptance standard. A photo says "looks like this." It never says what seam allowance or topstitch width. We default, and you get a different garment.
- Composition listed, weight and recovery skipped. "87% nylon 13% spandex" tells us nothing about the 4-way stretch recovery that holds the shape. Write the GSM and the recovery spec or the body will sag.
- No tolerance on the spec sheet. EU and US sizes differ, but the real killer is no ± tolerance. Our outgoing inspection runs at AQL 1.5, and what fails that gate becomes rework.
- Seam construction left open. Flatlock, overlock, coverstitch — where each goes decides comfort and durability. Sportswear lives or dies on this.
- Screen RGB instead of a Pantone. A monitor color and a dyed fabric are miles apart. No PMS number means a color fight at bulk.
What a Workable Tech Pack Actually Contains
A tech pack that walks into our cutting room ready to run has seven blocks. Miss any one and sampling slips from 7–10 days to three weeks plus.
1. Flat and construction sketches
Front, back, and inside views with seam allowance, topstitch width, pocket position and opening direction marked. Without these, the inside construction never lines up with the photo.
2. Spec sheet with tolerance
Every measurement, with a ± tolerance next to it. We recommend keeping key points — chest, body length, sleeve — within ±1.0cm, and stretch points like waistband and cuff within ±1.5cm.
3. Fabric spec
Composition plus GSM plus 4-way stretch recovery plus a measured wicking method. This is the block we care about most. The feel of a sports garment is decided here, not in the composition line.
4. Seam construction
Name the seam for each join: flatlock for next-to-skin layers, overlock for locking, coverstitch for hems and cuffs. This is where sportswear separates from commuter wear.
5. Trims
Zipper brand (we standard on YKK), reflective tape, woven or printed labels, hook-and-loop. Wrong trims drop the whole garment a tier.
6. Colorway and artwork
One PMS number per colorway. Logos and prints as vector files with real dimensions and a placement map.
7. Packing and labeling
Fold method, polybag spec, hangtag content, carton size. Leave this vague and the last step before shipping becomes rework too.
How we take your tech pack from here
- Package screen. You send what you have — even inspo images and scattered notes. Within 48 hours we return a gap list.
- Fill the gaps. As your OEM/ODM partner we complete the missing sizes, tolerances, seams, and fabric spec into a build-ready version.
- Seal the sample. On approval we sign a sealed sample; bulk runs against that sample, not memory.
- Produce and inspect. Full run at AQL 1.5 with our 8-step check, shipped FOB Shenzhen.
Complete vs. Incomplete: What It Costs You
| Factor | Tech pack complete | Tech pack missing |
|---|---|---|
| Sampling cycle | 7–10 days | 3+ weeks of redo |
| First-sample rework | under 15% | often over 50% |
| Communication rounds | 2–3 | 8–10 and up |
| Bulk consistency | stable, sealed-sample based | every lot drifts |
| Hidden cost | low | freight, labor, trust — all lost |
Questions Buyers Actually Ask
My order is only 200 pieces. Can you run it?
Our standard MOQ 300 is a cost line, not a wall we put up for fun. Under 300, the pattern, marker, and machine setup get spread too thin and the unit price gets ugly. If you're a new brand testing a style, we can run sampling first or slot you into a shared fabric window. Tell us your target volume and we'll find the path instead of pushing you away.
My tech pack is incomplete. Can you help finish it?
Yes. That's a big part of what an OEM/ODM partner is for. Send the inspo images and scattered notes; within 48 hours we return a gap list, then complete the missing sizes, tolerances, seams, and fabric spec into a build-ready version. We don't believe in "send a picture and we'll guess."
How long does sampling take?
With a complete tech pack, 7–10 days. Notice the condition: an incomplete pack pushes sampling past three weeks because every fix means re-marker and re-setup. Write the pack fully first — that's the fastest route, not the slow one.
Do I have to pick the fabric myself?
No. We keep a library of 200+ fabrics in Dongguan — nylon/spandex, recycled polyester on our GRS line, cotton-spandex and more. Name the composition and GSM, or tell us the function you need — wicking, four-way stretch, lightweight — and we'll recommend.
How do you keep bulk consistent with the sample?
Two gates. First, on approval we sign a sealed sample and bulk runs against that sample alone. Second, the full run passes AQL 1.5 with our 8-step inspection. Our GRS and OEKO-TEX 100 lines also carry the compliance certificates you'll want for brand-side ESG reporting.
Do you do private label and custom activewear?
Both. We run white-label private label and fully custom activewear — logo, woven label, hangtag, and pattern all built to your brand. More than half of the 1,200+ brands we've worked with started on private label and grew into customization.
What does FOB Shenzhen mean — does it include freight?
FOB Shenzhen means free on board at Shenzhen port. We move goods from Dongguan to Shenzhen, clear export customs, and load onto the vessel — everything up to that point is on us. Ocean freight and insurance from Shenzhen to your destination port are your side, or your freight forwarder's. The quote states the split plainly. No fog.
Send Us What You Have
Send the inspiration images and whatever notes you already have — even if they're scattered. Within 48 hours we return a tech pack gap list and help you build the version a factory can run. Write the pack fully and you'll hold the first sample in 7–10 days.
As a sportswear manufacturer operating in Dongguan since 2014, we'd rather be a long-term partner than a one-order shop. Anything about the tech pack you're unsure of, ask. We'll tell you straight.
