What Is a Techpack?

Jan 20, 2017

A Techpack (specification sheet or spec-sheet) is a document with all the instructions of a product that a manufacturer needs to turn your IDEA into a PRODUCT. A techpack is a “blueprint” of your product and is needed if you want to order ten or ten thousand pieces of a style.

There are many uses of techpack such as effective communication, accurate price quotation, better quality, agreement, organize, etc. We will not go through them in detail here however here's a blogpost about what is a techpack and what are its uses? Most successful fashion brands use techpacks in some way or the other.

While techpacks are extremely important, then can be the most boring thing to do. Fashion designers, product developers and many of us in fashion industry rather not use our CREATIVE mind with techpack data-entry. In many fashion companies and factories, we often hear about product development issues, because the "TECHPACK was incomplete." Therefore, Techpacker has decided to change the way the techpacks are made.

Techpacker is VISUAL and POWERFUL

At Techpacker, techpacks are MUCH MORE than just a blueprint or specification of designs. We have turned boring techpacks into "Turbo Techpacks". It tracks everything from design decisions, fit changes, or material approvals. It is also a central tool of communication between everyone involved in product development and production stage.

Here's a quick diagram on How Techpacker Makes a Techpack Visual and Powerful?

1. Each product is divided into multiple CARDS

So think of any style, such as a pair of jeans, and divide each component into multiple cards, such as 'Button,' 'Zipper,' 'Back-Pocket,' etc. Now you can make as many or as few cards as you like. See the below image (1).

2. Each CARD includes all related information

For example, in the below image (2), the zipper card stores and includes all of the following details: 'Zipper Logo' file from illustrator, Bill of Material (BOM) table, conversation with the zipper supplier and your team, and a Due date for approval.

3. Turn cards into a single Techpack

Once you are done with all details, with a click of a button, turn all the cards into a Techpack (PDF) in an industry standard format. See in the below image (3).

This is the CORE of how Techpacker functions. Now let's go to one-by-one on major components of Techpacker:

TECHPACK

A techpack is typically a product that is under development or consistently being revised. A techpack has specific members that can see it and control the creation of the cards. They can add themselves or others to cards, begin conversations, add attachments, annotate images add due dates, etc., all on each card.

CATEGORY

A techpack is divided into 3 (three) different categories: Sketches, Materials and Measurements. You can add as many cards in each of these categories. Typically a category represents a stage of progress (e.g. to-do, in progress, finished).

CARD

A card is the most basic and flexible part of the system. It represents a specific element of a product (e.g. button, fabric, collar design or point of measurement). Cards can be moved up and down the category as they progress. Depending on what works best for you and your team, cards can be viewed as individual items on the card view mode or listed in a table in the list view mode. BOM and POM tables are more easily viewed in the list view mode.

You can attach images and files, assign members, comment, tables and deadlines to cards. Depending on the what’s best for you and the product at hand, you can keep your cards very simple, or highly detailed and elaborate.

This will all make sense as you start to Create a Techpack, so let's jump to next chapter.