I’ve seen freelance fashion designers charge anywhere from $10 to $2,000 for a single tech pack. I know, a $10 tech pack! OMG! But they do exist, so I put a few to the test!
I hired five freelancers on Upwork to create a sweater tech pack, with prices ranging from $10 to $150. My goal? To see if you truly get what you pay for.
Spoiler: the results didn’t exactly match the price tags. Here’s a little sneak peek at what I got back – keep scrolling to see the full results.
P.S. If you’d rather watch, here’s a video I made.
Sweater Tech Pack Comparison
To keep things fair, I set two criteria for the freelancers I hired:
- They should already have existing reviews (so we know that these are real, active Upwork freelancers).
- At minimum, their tech pack packages should include the following:
- Two garment views
- Two colorways
- A spec sheet / design specifications sheet
- A size chart
- A BOM (Bill of Materials)
- The Adobe Illustrator source file (because I’m a junkie for a super organized AI fashion flat!).
I gave all the freelancers the same project brief, which outlined a high-level overview of the design. This includes a rough napkin sketch of the garment, colorways, and references for silhouette and fit.
I requested that they suggest fabrics and materials, provided a brand size chart, and included our logo along with some label requests.
I didn’t go back and forth on revisions, but I answered any questions they had upfront.
For privacy, names have been changed.
$10 Tech Pack (Julia)
I bought Julia’s advanced package for just $10. Julia confirmed right away… then completely ghosted me. I followed up a few times, but nothing. I guess that’s what you get for a $10 tech pack! (UpWork did give us a full refund.)
$17 Tech Pack (Sunny)
I bought Sunny’s starter package for $17. He confirmed that he’d complete the tech pack within two days. But midway through the project, he asked to double the rate to $35, while claiming he was nearly finished.
I won’t argue that $17 is crazy low for a tech pack, but I didn’t ask for this rate. I selected it from his list of services (and even added a few bucks for an extra colorway).
His request made me uncomfortable and felt unprofessional. We ultimately agreed to keep the original $17 rate and proceed with what he could manage within that budget.
| $17 Tech Pack (Sunny) | Pros | Cons |
| Flats | Basic structure of the garment was understood | Sketch lacks depth, awkward silhouette |
| Fabric | Included fabric recommendations | Material composition and GSM listed in the illustration don’t match with what’s written in the BOM |
| BOM | Has a very basic BOM table at the bottom of the page | No detailed callouts for materials like zipper, zipper pull |
| $17 Tech Pack (Sunny) | Pros | Cons |
| Callouts | Good format, easy to understandIncluded measurements for the logo placement and size | Added flatlock stitching on the neckline which wasn’t in the briefBack yoke construction is incorrectUnclear construction details for inner neckline |
| Reference Images | Good reference images for the fit and sleeve cuff | Collar reference image doesn’t match the callouts |
| $17 Tech Pack (Sunny) | Pros | Cons |
| Colorways | Correct color swatches used | HEX codes were used which is unusual in garment production (Pantone is more common)Did not reflect the color of the contrast stitching in the flats |
| $17 Tech Pack (Sunny) | Pros | Cons |
| POMs | Correct size range | POMs don’t make sense as the sweater design doesn’t have set-in sleeves, hoodie, kangaroo pocket, etc.Sunny must have copied over another garment’s POMs without editing |
| $17 Tech Pack (Sunny) | Pros | Cons |
| Embroidery Specs | Included a reference image for the embroidery | Embroidery placement details are on another page, this will be hard to navigate for the manufacturer |
| Brand and Size Label | Included brand and size labels | Random “RECESS” brand logo instead of our own “SFD” logo |
| Care Label | Specified placement on wearer’s left side seam | No specs on how high up the seam the care label should be placed |
| $17 Tech Pack (Sunny) | Pros | Cons |
| AI Source File | Provided the source file (after follow-up) | Entire tech pack is in Adobe IllustratorGraded specs were typed in manuallyThe file only has a single layer, making it impossible to manage |
Key Takeaways from Sunny’s Tech Pack
It feels as if Sunny used someone else’s tech pack, sprinkled in a few of our details, and didn’t pay much attention to refining it. Again, I’m not expecting much from a $17 tech pack, but if I were a startup brand and don’t know what I’m looking for, I would not catch a lot of these mistakes like the POMs, logos, and other tiny details that could throw off the manufacturer. Sunny is definitely not our tech pack guy. I wouldn’t have confidence or trust in using this tech pack for manufacturing.
$40 Tech Pack (Irene)
I purchased Irene’s advanced package for $40. Overall, it was fairly easy working with her and I don’t really have anything super positive or super negative to say, so I’ll just get onto the tech pack.
| $40 Tech Pack (Irene) | Pros | Cons |
| Flats | Comparatively better than Sunny’s flats | Collar band should not be ribbed |
| Colorways | Reflected the contrast embroidery stitching with colors | Colors used are not accurate, the white should be cream, and the teal shade is too darkOnly provided Pantone color codes for the teal colorway, not for the pink one |
| $40 Tech Pack (Irene) | Pros | Cons |
| Design Specs | Included stitching calloutsProvided reference images | It’s unnecessary to create separate spec sheets for each colorway since they both have the same design and construction detailsIt makes more sense to spec the design in black and white, rather than in colorMissing construction details for neckline |
| $40 Tech Pack (Irene) | Pros | Cons |
| Graded Specs | Included a POM illustration guide | Some POMs are not ideal (i.e. shoulder width on a raglan sleeve would be impractical to measure)Waist circumference is unnecessary for this designProvided full circumference measurements rather than the standard flat measurements |
| $40 Tech Pack (Irene) | Pros | Cons |
| Care Label | Included placement details | Illustration is vague |
| Brand and Size Label | Provided brand label measurements and size tags | No instructions on placement of size tags |
| Hang Tag | Added a simple branded hang tag as a bonus | Unclear why and how the hang tag should be attached to the right side seam |
| $40 Tech Pack (Irene) | Pros | Cons |
| AI Source File | Provided the source file (after follow-up) | Entire tech pack is in Adobe IllustratorGraded specs were typed in manuallyThe file only has two layers, making it difficult to manage |
Key Takeaways from Irene’s Tech Pack
This is a lot of work for 40 bucks (and there’s no fragments of someone else’s tech pack inside of ours). But from a factory perspective, I would still have a lot of questions about how to actually make this garment. Things like how the neckline is constructed, or what specific type of zipper should be used are missing.
There’s also no master BOM (Bill of Materials), which was promised as part of the project scope. With Irene, I imagine I could have gone back and asked for her to create the BOM, but since it was in the original scope of the project, I don’t feel like I should have had to do that as the client.
For $40, Irene’s work is a step up from Sunny’s, but it’s still not that great. I have seen a lot of bad tech packs in my day, and this is by far not the worst, but I personally still would not feel confident sending this to a factory knowing that I’d get a great prototype back. The formatting of Irene’s (and Sunny’s $17) tech pack isn’t the best. Info is all over the place, which makes it tough for manufacturers to find what they need.
For freelance fashion designers, especially those newer to the industry, having a reliable tech pack template is essential. I promise you, it’s going to make your life so much easier (more on this at the end of the article)!
$100 Tech Pack (Joelle)
I purchased Joelle’s $100 standard package. Right off the bat, she stood out by submitting all necessary files on the get go – a complete tech pack (including a BOM… kind of!), the PDF and spreadsheet files, as well as the Adobe Illustrator (AI) source file.
Every other freelancer I had to go back and ask for those even though they were included in the original project description.
Joelle was extremely professional and the easiest to work with of all the freelancers. She also provided extra material and sourcing info in our chat.
Let’s take a look at her tech pack.
| $100 Tech Pack (Joelle) | Pros | Cons |
| Flats | Accurately captured intended silhouette and details | |
| Colorways | Accurate colorways |
| $100 Tech Pack (Joelle) | Pros | Cons |
| Design Specs | Clean and easy to follow formatMatches the details from my initial napkin sketch | Missing construction details on seams like the neckline and rib cuff |
| $100 Tech Pack (Joelle) | Pros | Cons |
| BOM | The first (and only one) to provide a BOM sheetCalled out Pantone Colors for the fabric and threads | Missing GSM / fabric weight specificationsNo details on the zipper, a close ended metal / plastic zip with a large pull could be so many types of zippers |
| $100 Tech Pack (Joelle) | Pros | Cons |
| Embroidery Specs | Included embroidery artwork sizeProvide Pantone colorways for the artwork | No placement details for the embroidery |
| Brand and Size Label | Provided back neck label specs including reference image for size tag | No actual size tag specs |
| Care Label | Added a note for the care label | Didn’t provide care label specs (granted, we haven’t finalized the materials, so I’ll take this as a neutral point for now) |
| $100 Tech Pack (Joelle) | Pros | Cons |
| Graded Specs | Included a POM illustration guideHer POMs actually make senseThe only freelancer to provide tolerances (she calls them “allowance”) | Could use a few more POMs like the front neck width, front neck drop, and back neck drop |
Joelle also included a couple of blank sheets for sample fit and measurement evaluation.
| $100 Tech Pack (Joelle) | Pros | Cons |
| AI Source File | The only one who didn’t have their entire tech pack on AI (spreadsheets is the way!)Everything is in a single layer but the elements are grouped so it’s fairly easy to navigate the fileBonus: also provided her spreadsheets file | Single layer AI file |
Key Takeaways from Joelle’s Tech Pack
Overall, I think Joelle followed the instructions and interpreted the design the best so far but there’s still no true BOM. As a factory, I will still have some questions on the construction details and I think there are some inefficiencies for production based on how she spec’d certain measurements. I think it’s an okay tech pack, but again, I think it’s indicative of what you get for 100 bucks.
You could definitely send this tech pack to a factory and get a sample back, but there’s still a lot of room for interpretation. You’ll likely have to go back and forth with multiple protos.
$150 Tech Pack (Tanner)
I bought Tanner’s standard package for $150, our most expensive freelancer. Tanner was a little difficult to work with, and it got a little awkward. At the beginning, he mentioned that he doesn’t create measurement specs and would only use whatever we provide. I can respect that, but I was hoping he’d at least give some constructive feedback on the specs I sent him – especially since I made them intentionally off to see if he’d catch any issues. Unfortunately, he offered no input whatsoever.
At the end, he got overly pushy with me closing the contract as quickly as possible. He followed up an excessive amount of times asking for a review and a rating.
I can empathize with this as a freelancer myself, I’ve been there. But it felt way over the top and aggressive.
| $150 Tech Pack (Tanner) | Pros | Cons |
| Flats | Technical sketch is well drawn | Doesn’t capture the boxy cropped fit that we were going for |
| Colorways | Called out actual TPX color codes (massive bonuses for that!) | Unusual to put only one colorway on the cover page, it makes more sense to use a b&w sketch for designs with multiple colorways or put both since there are only two in this case |
| $150 Tech Pack (Tanner) | Pros | Cons |
| Callouts | Clean, easy to follow format | Has barely any info on construction apart from the flatlock stitchingThere’s edge stitching drawn on the neckline but it’s not called out |
| BOM | No BOM on this tech packNo specification for the zipperFabric recommendation is 100% Merino wool which is an odd choice for this type of garment | |
| Embroidery Specs | Provided embroidery measurement and Pantone color codes | No placement details for embroidery |
| $150 Tech Pack (Tanner) | Pros | Cons |
| Graded Specs | Clean format with reference image (that was provided by us) | Didn’t provide any graded specs, just slapped on the wonky specs I provided him with |
| $150 Tech Pack (Tanner) | Pros | Cons |
| AI Source File | Moderately well organized | Entire tech pack was made in Adobe Illustrator |
Key Takeaways from Tanner’s Tech Pack
At a glance this tech pack looks and feels professional but there are so many holes in it. It’s missing so much information and details that were included in the description of what I paid $150 for.
There’s also no BOM on this tech pack, so this is everything you get regarding what materials to use and how to assemble the garment. I was also supposed to get labels for this package but got zero label details.
Which Tech Pack Is The Best?
Here’s how I would rank these tech packs based on which ones I think are going to get me the best sample back from the factory.
- Joelle’s $100 Tech Pack
- Irene’s $40 Tech Pack
- Tanner’s $150 Tech Pack
- Sunny’s $17 Tech Pack
It’s hard for me to decide whose tech pack was the worst – Sunny for $17 or Tanner for $150. Tanner’s looked clean and well organized, but had so many holes and opportunities to interpret things that I wouldn’t feel confident we’d get a great proto. Tanner’s terrible tech pack was compounded by the fact that it was the most expensive.
But I’m going to put Sunny’s last because he had so many wrong pieces of information integrated into the tech pack that clearly came from another brand. The factory would be so confused with this tech pack and I’m sure the client would have a hard time ironing things out.
Unfortunately, I would not recommend any of these freelancers for true production ready tech packs.
I think that the time and cost it’s going to take to dial in the sample at the factory is going to be more money and time than if you had hired a freelancer for a higher rate who knows how to create an exceptional tech pack.
This is why tech packs are not $17, $40, or $150, and they are definitely not $10 either because we literally got nothing from that.
How Much Should Tech Packs Cost?
The truth is, you can (and should) charge a lot more than $150 for a single tech pack. I have a freelance price sheet just for the fashion industry which includes industry standard rates for things like tech packs and a lot more.
Spoiler, some of the freelancers there charge over $1,000 for a tech pack!
Here’s How I Would Design This Sweater Tech Pack
I had my technical designer create a tech pack using my template to show what a true professional tech pack looks like. As she put it together, she told me that it was honestly not much work and mentioned, “Heidi, your template does the work for me!”
We have a cover page with a basic black and white sketch of the design, including an overview section for revisions. Which yes, is a part of my template because the thing is – a tech pack is a living and breathing thing. As you make changes, you want to be able to note in the tech pack what changes were made and why.
The next page includes the design specifications. There’s a B&W technical sketch which accurately captures all the design details. There’s info on the stitching on the collar and a reference image of what the inside construction looks like.
Pro Tip: You don’t have to illustrate everything in your tech pack. If you already have a reference garment that describes exactly what you need, a picture can do so much more than wasting time creating tons of illustrations. Better yet, mail the actual garment for the manufacturer to check.
We need specific embroidery placement with the exact measurements from the HPS (Highest Point of Shoulder) and CF (Center Front) along with the embroidery measurements and reference image.
Here are the construction details on the brand, size, and care labels including where exactly they go and how to attach them to the garment. These visuals are just quickly zoomed in parts of the technical sketch, but it helps a lot in visualizing where they go in the garment.
We have our colorway callouts with the actual Pantone Colors referencing both of the colorways. The contrast stitching on the raglan seam back yoke, and logo are easy to spot.
And finally, this is what a BOM should look like. When you think about a BOM, you want to think about it as the recipe list for the garment. It needs to have all the items needed as well as the specifications for each one. For example, here we have actual details on the zipper, including a specific brand, reference number, and sizing.
We also have all the trim details, the brand & size labels, care labels, and even the packaging requirements. I often see the packaging details missing but you have to remember to tell the factory if your garment goes on a hanger, inside a plastic garment bag, does it get packed up into an individual box? That is part of your BOM.
If you’ve noticed, this was the most neglected sheet from the freelancers I hired. Which is crazy given that BOMs hold so much crucial information to create the garment. And it’s shocking because the BOM really is just a list that shouldn’t be so hard to make.
But when you don’t have the proper tech pack template, it’s easy to overlook details in the BOM. My tech pack BOM template includes all the necessary columns, so you really just need to type away.
If you haven’t yet, you can download my FREE tech pack template below.
We also have graded specs complete with POM illustrations. Since you’re working on a spreadsheet, grading is as easy as dragging through the columns.
To wrap things up, there’s a page for first proto comments where you can enter the actual measurements and make any adjustments. There’s also space for feedback on fit, construction, and other details.
The best part? The cells are automated, so the measurements from the graded specs page automatically populate in the required sample measurements column, and any deviation between the actual and required specs is auto-calculated for you.
Want to Learn How to Make Tech Packs?
Regardless of your skill level, I have a bunch of guides to help you build tech packs. Use these to get you started:
- What Is A Tech Pack & Why Do You Need One? (Plus Real Life Examples)
- Free Editable Tech Pack Templates (plus a guide to use them)
- What’s The Best Tech Pack Software?
- Guide to Technical Callouts in Apparel Tech Packs
- Ultimate Guide to Grading Garments for Production
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