Home / Insights / How to Read a Tech Pack: Buyer Checklist Before Sampling

Fabrics & Compliance · 3 min read · 2026-08-29

How to Read a Tech Pack Before You Sample

A buyer-side tech pack checklist: BOM, graded specs, construction callouts, artwork and QC — freeze the right details before proto.

A tech pack checklist is how buyers prevent “approved sample / wrong bulk.” Before you ask a factory for proto, confirm the pack answers construction, measurement and commercial questions — not only aesthetics.

Minimum viable tech pack

  1. Flat / tech sketches with callouts
  2. BOM: fabric, trims, labels, packaging
  3. Size chart + graded specs (or base size + grade rules)
  4. Construction notes (stitch types, seam types, bonding)
  5. Artwork placements and colourways
  6. Packaging / polybag / carton marks

What buyers miss most often

GapConsequence
No fabric gsm / compositionWrong hand-feel and opacity
Vague “premium stitch”Cost and QC disputes
Artwork without placement measuresSMS rework
No tolerance tableAQL arguments later

Link specs to sampling and QC

Freeze measurement tolerances before PPS. Align colour standards early. For substance / organic claims, map certificates to BOM rows — see GOTS vs OEKO-TEX and AQL for apparel.

Next step

Send your pack or a short brief for a library match. Contact ZIESHINE · Sample timeline

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FAQ

What must a tech pack include?

At minimum: sketches, BOM, size chart, construction notes, artwork placements and packaging.

Can I sample without a full pack?

Yes for library styles with a short brief; full OEM still needs clear specs to avoid revision loops.

Who owns grading?

Agree ownership early — brand chart vs factory grade — and keep one source of truth.

Where do certifications belong?

Map fibre claims and trim certificates to the BOM rows they apply to.