Tech Pack Checklist: What to Verify Before Sending to Manufacturers
A complete checklist for verifying your fashion tech pack before sending to manufacturers — measurements, BOM, construction, colorways, and common errors to catch.
Why a pre-send checklist matters
Every error in a tech pack that reaches your manufacturer becomes a potential sample revision. At $200-500 per revision round, a 15-minute review against a checklist can save thousands of dollars per collection.
This checklist covers the errors most commonly found in tech packs — both manually created and AI-generated. Even AI-generated tech packs benefit from this review because AI may not capture brand-specific preferences or unusual construction requirements.
Cover page verification
Check these cover page elements:
- Style name and number are correct and match your internal system
- Season and year are correct
- Brand name is spelled correctly
- Date reflects the current revision
- Revision number is incremented from previous version
- Sample size is specified and matches your measurement page
- Flat sketches show correct construction details for this specific style
BOM verification
Check every BOM entry:
- Shell fabric: composition, weight, width, color code — all populated
- All trims listed: thread, elastic, drawcord, buttons, zippers, labels
- Color codes consistent with colorway definitions on the colorway page
- No blank fields in critical columns (composition, color, placement)
- Thread color specified for all seam types
- Hardware finish specified (matte, polished, antique, etc.)
- Label content and dimensions specified
Measurement verification
Check measurement accuracy:
- All critical POMs included (minimum 10 for basic garments, 15+ for complex)
- Measurements are realistic for the specified garment type and fit
- Tolerances are specified for every POM
- Units are consistent (all inches OR all cm — never mixed)
- Base size matches the sample size on the cover page
- Graded sizes are included if producing multiple sizes
- Grade increments are reasonable and consistent
Construction and colorway verification
Check construction and colorway details:
- Seam types specified for all major seams
- Stitch count (SPI) specified
- Assembly sequence makes sense for the garment type
- Colorway component mapping is complete — every component has a color
- Colors are consistent between BOM, colorway page, and cover page
- Care label content is appropriate for the fabric composition
- Country of origin is specified
Final checks
Before sending: confirm the file is PDF format (not a shared doc link), all pages are present and in order, text is legible at print size, flat sketches are clear in black and white, and the cover email summarizes any special requirements.
If this is a revision, highlight what changed from the previous version so the manufacturer can focus their review on the updates.