A garment spec sheet is a part of a tech pack. It’s a basic set of instructions that a fashion designer or technical designer creates so the factory knows how to manufacture the garment. This includes details like types of stitching, construction techniques, and measurements to use.
In my 15+ years working in the fashion industry, I’ve made spec sheets for thousands of garments that have gone to production. While there are no shortcuts, this guide includes my best tips to ensure manufacturers understand your spec sheets.
Spec Sheet vs Tech Pack
A spec sheet is a component of the tech pack.
A tech pack, short for “technical package,” is a comprehensive document that serves as the master guide for producing a garment. It typically has several pages, including technical sketches, bill of materials (BOM), colorways, and the spec sheet.
A spec sheet, or “specification sheet” is a dedicated sheet (or a few) within the tech pack that is primarily focused on the detailed specifications of the garment like the measurements and construction details.
When to use a Spec Sheet vs a Tech Pack?
In my experience, tech packs are always used for production. However, in the early stages of product development, designers may create/use the spec sheets first. This can be as simple as having the technical sketches, design & construction details, fabric & trims info, and measurement specs. This initial spec sheet is then used to communicate the design within the team or to get initial quotations, fabric suggestions, or to source supplier options.
If the style is adopted and will proceed into production, the spec sheet will be turned into a complete tech pack by adding pages like the BOM, colorways, and graded measurement specs.
In this guide, I’ll cover all that you need to know about spec sheets. But if you want to learn how to create complete tech packs, you can hop onto my Step-by-Step Tech Pack Guide.
What Should be Included in a Garment Spec Sheet?
A garment spec sheet can be the most detailed page in a tech pack, so here’s a checklist of everything to include:
- Technical Sketches: Detailed technical sketches or flats of the garment from different views. Depending on the design, you might need to add more than just the front and back views. In some cases, close-up sketches are also necessary.
The sample maker and manufacturer will base the construction off of this sketch, so make sure to include all design elements, style lines, and proportions to visually communicate how the final product should look.
- Construction Guidelines: Include call-outs that describe the construction techniques and methods to be used in making the garment. This includes seam types and any special instructions related to sewing like pleating or gathering. For example, “flat fell seam on side seams”
Jot down any technical details such as the stitches per inch (SPI), stitch types, and any decorative or specialty stitching required for the garment.
- Design Details: Include details on embellishments (sequins, embroidery), fastening methods (buttons, zippers), decorative trims (lace, piping), and hardware (buckles, clasps).
- Logo and Artwork Guidelines: Indicate size and placement of any artworks like logos or prints. Include any specific method of printing.
- Labels and Branding Info: Indicate where care labels, tags, and branding elements should be placed on the garment. Include information about label size, type, and any specific requirements for labeling standards.
- Graded Specs: Graded measurement sheet for each size of the garment including all Points of Measures (POMs) needed. This helps pattern makers and manufacturers understand how to adjust the pattern for different sizes and calculate fabric consumption, which will affect costing.
Garment Spec Sheet Software
I recommend creating garment spec sheets using a combo of Adobe Illustrator for the fashion flats technical callouts, and spreadsheets to put it all together (like Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel).
If you’ve downloaded my free tech pack template, you’ll see it’s in a spreadsheet format. But there is also tech pack specific software you can use for spec sheets.
Tips to Create Effective Garment Spec Sheets
1. Add Reference Images
Add reference photos of existing products if possible. This is a very common practice in the industry, and saves a ton of back and forth by being clear upfront. Some fashion brands even send out physical samples of references.
2. Keep it Concise & Clear
The more straightforward your descriptions are, the less room there is for misunderstandings. There’s a learning curve to this, and slowly you’ll also learn how to strike a good balance.
3. Review and Revise
Give yourself time to review with fresh eyes – even a quick break helps. Catching errors early avoids major issues later.
4. Update Your Spec Sheets Regularly
If changes happen after sample evaluations , reflect these adjustments in your spec sheets. Keep a change log on the front page so everyone knows when (and why) edits were made.
Garment spec sheets are living and breathing documents that track a design through the entire development process. Keeping them updated will ensure everything comes out right in production.
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