How to Create a Tech Pack for Free (Before You Come to Us)
If you're serious about producing your first collection, this is the most important document you'll ever create — and you don't need to spend a penny to get it right.
A tech pack is the single document that turns your idea into a garment. Without one, no serious manufacturer will quote you, sample for you, or take you seriously. With a clear, complete tech pack, production moves faster, your sample needs fewer rounds of revision, and your cost-per-piece comes down because there's less guesswork involved.
The good news? You don't need expensive software to create one. Here's a breakdown of the best free (and freemium) tools available right now, who each one is best for, and what you actually need to include.
What Is a Tech Pack, and Why Does It Matter?
Think of a tech pack as the architectural blueprint for your garment. It tells the factory exactly what to build — every measurement, every material, every stitch, every trim. Without it, you're asking a manufacturer to guess. And guessing in garment production costs money.
A tech pack typically includes:
Flat sketches — technical front and back illustrations of the garment (not fashion sketches — clean, precise technical drawings)
Bill of Materials (BOM) — every fabric, lining, trim, zipper, button, label, thread colour
Measurement chart — dimensions for every size in your run
Construction details — seam types, stitch specifications, topstitching placement
Colourways — colour references (Pantone codes where possible)
Label and packaging requirements — care labels, brand labels, hang tags, polybag specs
Reference images — photos of details you want replicated or avoided
The more complete your tech pack, the fewer revision rounds your sample needs — and the lower your overall cost.
The Best Free Tools to Build Your Tech Pack
1. Techpacker — Best for Beginners Who Want Structure
Free access: 7-day free trial with full features
Techpacker is purpose-built for tech pack creation and is genuinely the most beginner-friendly option out there. It has step-by-step templates for specific garment types — t-shirts, dresses, trousers, outerwear — and guides you through exactly what information to fill in for each section.
Their resource library at techpacker.com/blog/resources includes free downloadable templates for everything from a wrap dress to a bomber jacket, with point-of-measure diagrams already built in. Even if you don't use the software long-term, their templates are excellent references for understanding what a complete tech pack looks like.
Best for: First-time founders who've never made a tech pack before and want a guided process.
2. Google Sheets or Excel + Free Templates — Best for Zero Budget
Free access: Completely free
If you want complete control with no subscriptions, a well-structured spreadsheet works. Maker's Row and several fashion production blogs offer free downloadable Excel tech pack templates that include BOM tables, measurement charts, and construction notes sections.
It requires more manual effort — you'll need to add your own flat sketches (as image inserts) — but the output is factory-readable and universally accepted.
Search: "free tech pack template Excel Maker's Row" to find current downloads.
Best for: Founders on zero budget who are comfortable in spreadsheets and can source or sketch their own flat drawings.
3. Canva — Best for Non-Designers Who Need Visual Output
Free access: Works with the free Canva plan, no subscription needed
Canva isn't traditionally a tech pack tool, but there are industry-standard tech pack templates available that work perfectly within Canva's free plan. The advantage is that Canva makes it easy to insert and annotate images, add technical callouts, and produce a clean, professional-looking PDF that factories worldwide will understand.
You won't get the structured BOM tables of Techpacker, so you may want to combine Canva for your visual flat sketch pages with a simple spreadsheet for your BOM and measurements.
Best for: Founders who are comfortable with Canva, have reference imagery or sketches, and want a polished, visual output.
4. AI Techpack Generator / Genpire — Best for Speed
Free access: Free quotas on both platforms (limited generations)
These are newer AI-powered tools that can generate a draft tech pack from a photo or sketch of your garment. You upload an image, and the tool produces a structured document including flat sketch interpretation, measurement suggestions, and a basic BOM.
It's not magic — you'll need to review and correct the output carefully, especially measurements — but it can dramatically speed up the drafting process and is a solid starting point if you're working from a reference garment or a clear design image.
Search: "AI Techpack Generator" and "Genpire fashion" to find the current versions.
Best for: Founders who have a reference garment or clear design visual and want to generate a first draft fast.
What You Actually Need in Your Tech Pack Before Contacting a Manufacturer
Regardless of which tool you use, here's the minimum required to get an accurate quote and move into sampling:
SectionWhat to IncludeGarment overviewType, style name, season, target genderFlat sketchesFront + back technical drawings (not fashion illustrations)Bill of MaterialsAll fabrics with composition and weight, all trimsMeasurementsAt least your base size, ideally your full size runConstruction notesKey seams, stitch types, any special detailsColourwaysColour names + Pantone references if availableLabelsBrand label, care label, size label requirementsReference imagesPhotos of details, fits, or competitors' garmentsTarget quantityUnits per style (our minimum is 150 units per style)
If you're missing a few of these, don't panic — reach out and we'll tell you exactly what we need to move forward. But the more complete your pack, the faster and cheaper your production journey will be.
A Common Mistake to Avoid
The most frequent issue we see with first-time brands is confusing a mood board or fashion sketch with a tech pack. A beautiful editorial illustration of your garment is useful for communicating your vision — but it doesn't tell a pattern cutter anything about how to build it.
Your flat sketches need to be clean, proportional, technical drawings. If you're not a technical designer, tools like Techpacker and Canva templates have built-in flat sketch guides that you can adapt. Alternatively, hiring a freelance technical designer for a few hours to create your flats is money well spent — it will save you far more in sampling costs.
Ready to Start?
Once your tech pack is in place, the process is straightforward — share it with us, we come back to you with a clear price per piece, and get your sample underway.
No hidden costs. No back-and-forth guesswork. Just your collection, made right, in Portugal.
