How to Create a Knitwear Tech Pack with AI
Create knitwear tech packs with AI — gauge specifications, knit structure details, yarn composition, fully-fashioned vs cut-and-sew construction.
Knitwear tech pack differences
Knitwear tech packs require specifications that woven garment tech packs do not: gauge (stitches and rows per inch), yarn count and composition, knit structure (jersey, rib, cable, jacquard), and whether construction is fully-fashioned (knit-to-shape) or cut-and-sew.
The manufacturing method fundamentally changes the tech pack — fully-fashioned knitwear needs knitting program specifications, while cut-and-sew knitwear uses standard garment construction but with knit-appropriate seam types.
Gauge and yarn specifications
Gauge defines the density of the knit and determines the final fabric weight and drape.
- Gauge: stitches per inch × rows per inch (e.g., 7 stitches × 9 rows = 7 gauge)
- Yarn count: Nm (metric number) or Ne (English count)
- Yarn composition: merino wool, cashmere, cotton, acrylic, blends
- Yarn ply: single, 2-ply, 3-ply — affects fabric weight and texture
- Machine gauge: 3 GG (chunky), 5 GG (medium), 7 GG (fine), 12 GG (lightweight)
- Knit structure: single jersey, double jersey, rib, links-links, cable, intarsia, jacquard
Fully-fashioned vs cut-and-sew
Fully-fashioned knitwear is knit to the shape of each panel — panels are then linked (seamed) together. This method produces higher quality knitwear with shaped edges and no raw cut edges. However, it requires knitting program specifications.
Cut-and-sew knitwear uses knitted fabric that is cut and assembled like woven fabric. This method is faster and cheaper but produces raw edges that must be finished. AI tech pack generation handles both methods with appropriate construction specifications.
Knitwear measurement considerations
Knitwear measurements must account for the natural stretch and relaxation of knitted fabrics. Specify whether measurements are taken relaxed (garment laid flat naturally) or stretched (pulled to maximum comfortable stretch).
Key knitwear POMs include rib tension at cuffs and hem (how wide the rib measures relaxed vs the desired finished width on body), collar depth and stretch, and body length after washing (knitwear can shrink or grow in length depending on yarn and structure).
Knitwear-specific finishing
Knitwear finishing includes details unique to knit construction: linking quality (stitch-for-stitch seaming for fully-fashioned), pressing/steaming specifications (some yarns cannot be steam-pressed), and washing instructions (hand wash vs machine wash depends on yarn and construction).
For cut-and-sew knitwear, specify edge finishing: overlocked, bound, rolled, or cover-stitched edges. For fully-fashioned, specify linking tension and whether exposed or concealed linking is acceptable.