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A sportswear tech pack is the working specification for a garment. It brings together drawings, measurements, materials, construction, artwork and finishing instructions, so that buyer and manufacturer develop and check the same product.
A good tech pack is judged by clear decisions, not by its page count. A club reordering a jersey may need only a short specification with the existing reference and a new size breakdown. A brand developing a new cycling jersey may need drawings of the pockets and zip, a measurement chart, fabric references and several sets of sample comments. Start with what you have and mark the remaining decisions as open.
Organise the pack around the garment
| Part | What it should identify | Sportswear example |
|---|---|---|
| Cover | Style code, name, date, version, season and contact | Separate codes for home jersey and goalkeeper jersey |
| Technical views | Front, back and details that photographs do not explain | Cycling jersey pocket layout or basketball armhole binding |
| Measurements | Points, measuring method, units, sizes and agreed tolerances | Chest width measured flat rather than body chest circumference |
| Materials | Fabric and trims by position, with references where known | Body fabric, contrast mesh, zip, elastic and labels |
| Construction | Seam locations, edge finishes and functional details | Running singlet armhole finish checked against the skin |
| Artwork | File, finished dimensions, placement, colours and variations | Crest position and, if numbers are required, a separate number list |
| Labels and packing | Text, location, attachment, pack contents and carton allocation | Own-brand neck label and size sticker on each bag |
| Revisions | What changed, who agreed it and which sample it follows | Sleeve length revised after the first fit check |
Make measurements repeatable
Give each point of measure a name or code, say where the tape starts and ends, and state whether the garment is laid flat, relaxed or stretched. Keep body measurements apart from finished-garment measurements: because of ease and fabric stretch, one cannot stand in for the other.
A base-size chart alone does not define the whole range. Supply the sizes you need and the measurements you have, or ask the manufacturer to propose a size chart for review. Agree tolerances for each measurement point that matters before bulk production. The fit and grading guide explains how to check the range without treating a label such as M as a universal measurement.
Describe materials without guessing
Where known, record fibre composition, knit or woven structure, weight in g/m², colour and which garment areas use each fabric. Add the stretch, coverage and feel the sport calls for. A fabric sample shows feel better than adjectives, but label what it stands for: feel only, colour, structure or the full intended specification.
List the trims too: zip, elastic, drawcord, thread, tapes, labels and packaging. State who supplies each item and which choices are still open for development. A missing trim reference should lead to a question, not a silent substitution. If you need help describing the material, use the fabric brief rather than picking a composition nobody has checked.
Separate the design from its placement
A logo file tells the printer what the mark looks like. It does not tell the production team how large to make it or where to put it. Give dimensions on the finished garment and measure placement from a fixed reference such as centre front or a named seam. State whether a mark keeps the same size across the range or scales with the garment.
For sublimated jerseys, the artwork is prepared for the cut garment pieces and their seam allowances. Repeating fabric patterns are prepared differently. Where the method is still undecided, the manufacturer can confirm it. The artwork guide covers editable files, fonts, image size and production proofs.
Keep the size breakdown and any number list in a separate, controlled spreadsheet. The tech pack sets the font, number dimensions, position and application, and the spreadsheet gives the quantities by style and size and the numbers required. Note the current spreadsheet version in the approval record so that it cannot change unnoticed once the design is approved.
Write sample comments as instructions
Give each requested change a location and an intended result. “Move crest 10 mm towards centre front from the position on sample 02” is actionable when the sample and measurement point are identified. “Make the logo look better” needs further discussion.
Use a revision table with date, changed item, old version, new version and approval status. Send one consolidated set of comments from the person authorised to approve. The printer should not have to choose between a design attached to an email and a newer image in a messaging thread.
Questions and answers
Which sections should a sportswear tech pack template include?
A sportswear tech pack template should include a cover with style code and version, technical views, a measurement chart with method and tolerances, materials and trims by position, construction details, artwork with finished dimensions and placement, label and packing instructions, and a revision table. A repeat jersey may need a short specification with the existing reference and a new size breakdown, while a new cycling jersey may need pocket and zip drawings.
How should measurements be written in a sportswear tech pack?
Sportswear tech pack measurements should be repeatable: give each point of measure a name or code, say where the tape starts and ends, and state whether the garment is laid flat, relaxed or stretched. Keep body and finished-garment measurements separate, since ease and stretch mean the two are not interchangeable. List the required sizes or ask the manufacturer to propose a size chart, and agree tolerances for the relevant points before bulk production.
Should the size breakdown be part of a jersey tech pack?
Keep the size breakdown and any number list in a separate controlled spreadsheet, and let the jersey tech pack define the garment itself, including the font, number dimensions, position and application method when numbers are required. Reference the current spreadsheet version in the approval record so quantities and numbers cannot change unnoticed after the design is approved, and send one consolidated set of comments from the person authorised to approve.
If you have no tech pack
You can start with a reference garment, a sketch or clear photographs, approximate quantities and the features you want. Add a short keep/change list, for example: keep the neckline, change the sleeve length, add numbers. Say which brand marks you have the right to use. A reference shows what you want, but on its own it does not settle measurements, ownership of the design or permission to reproduce someone else’s branding.
Voyager Sportswear can discuss garment and design development from that starting point. Before bulk production, the agreed result should be recorded in a specification and a sample approval. Send what you have through the quotation form, and we can clarify the unfinished technical details together.