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DENIM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GUIDE

How to Prepare a Denim Tech Pack

A denim tech pack gives the brand, pattern team, sample room, wash facility and quality team one shared product reference. It should explain what the garment is, how it should fit, how it should be constructed and which details need to be approved before bulk production.

A useful tech pack does not need to begin as a perfect document. A clear reference image, sketch or existing garment can start the discussion. However, measurements, fabric, wash, trims, construction details and comments should be added and confirmed as development progresses.

What should a denim tech pack include?

A practical denim tech pack normally includes:

  • Product name, style number and product category
  • Front and back technical drawings
  • Fit description and intended wearing position
  • Measurement specification and points of measurement
  • Measurement tolerances
  • Fabric composition, weight and stretch direction
  • Wash, shade and surface-effect requirements
  • Construction, seam and stitching details
  • Buttons, rivets, zippers, labels, patches and other trims
  • Artwork, branding and placement information
  • Base size, size range and grading direction
  • Packaging and labelling requirements
  • Revision date, version number and approval comments

The amount of detail required depends on the product. A five-pocket jean, denim jacket, skirt or garment with specialised trims will not use exactly the same specification. The document should reflect the actual style rather than repeating unrelated information from another product.

How should the product and fit direction be described?

Begin with a short product description. Identify the garment category, intended customer, fit direction, rise, leg shape, length and wearing position.

Terms such as “wide-leg,” “baggy,” “straight” or “low-rise” are useful, but they should be supported by measurements and written fit comments.

For example, a low-rise baggy jean should define more than the front-rise measurement. The tech pack should also explain the waistband position, waist and hip ease, crotch shape, thigh volume, inseam and leg opening.

Reference images can help communicate silhouette and styling, but photographs alone may not show proportions accurately. Add written comments explaining which features should be followed and which parts of the reference are not required.

For a more detailed fit example, review our low-rise baggy jeans development guide .

What drawings should be included?

Include clear front and back technical drawings wherever possible. Add side views or enlarged detail views when an important feature cannot be understood from the main drawings.

Callouts can identify details such as:

  • Pocket shape and placement
  • Waistband height and construction
  • Front fly and fastening method
  • Belt loops and hanger loops
  • Yoke shape
  • Stitching position and stitch colour
  • Seam type and visible topstitching
  • Distressing, abrasion or repair details
  • Embroidery, prints, lace or other decorative features

Use consistent labels so that each callout can be matched to the bill of materials, construction notes or artwork file.

How should garment measurements and POMs be prepared?

The measurement specification should identify each point of measurement, or POM, and explain how it is taken. Avoid listing numbers without clear measurement locations because different teams may interpret the same term differently.

Typical POMs for jeans may include:

  • Waist measured at the waistband edge
  • High hip and full hip
  • Front rise and back rise
  • Thigh measured from a defined crotch point
  • Knee position and width
  • Inseam and outseam
  • Leg opening
  • Waistband height
  • Front and back pocket dimensions

State whether measurements apply before washing or to the finished washed garment. Denim washing can affect shrinkage and finished measurements, so the approved physical sample should be used together with the specification.

What should be clarified for a non-standard fit or first multi-size order?

When a denim style relies on a specific body shape, rise, waistband shape, leg proportion or wearing position, do not rely on a generic grading assumption. Define the intended fit in words, identify the base size, list the measurements that control the silhouette, and mark which points need review during sampling. The grade rule should be reviewed against the approved fit sample rather than copied from an unrelated style.

For an early order that covers more than one size, clarify the intended size range, quantity per style, fabric, wash, trims and construction before treating the MOQ as workable. Size distribution and grading are project decisions: they should be reviewed with the actual product brief and approved sample, not assumed from a fixed ratio.

A tech pack can begin from a reference or partial brief, but it becomes more executable when its measurement locations, fit comments, version history and sample corrections are clear. Brands that need help choosing the route can also review our OEM and ODM denim development service.

How should measurement tolerances be defined?

A measurement table should not only list target dimensions. It should also state the acceptable tolerance where appropriate.

Tolerance helps the production and quality teams understand what level of variation is acceptable around an approved target measurement.

Not every POM necessarily needs the same tolerance. Critical points such as waist, rise or inseam may require different control from smaller decorative measurements.

The approved tolerance should be realistic for the fabric, wash process and garment construction.

When should grading be added to the tech pack?

The base-size fit should normally be reviewed before the final grading is treated as production-ready.

A brand may provide an initial grading direction earlier, but if the first fit sample changes significantly, the grading may also need to be revised.

Once the base size is approved, selected smaller and larger sizes can be reviewed through a size set to confirm that the grading remains balanced.

For more detail, review our denim fit sample and size-set approval guide .

What fabric information should be provided?

Provide the preferred denim composition, weight, colour, structure and stretch direction when known.

Also describe the intended handfeel and wearing experience, such as rigid and structured, soft and relaxed, or stretch with controlled recovery.

Composition percentages alone do not fully describe how a fabric behaves. Two fabrics with similar fibre content can differ in weight, construction, stretch, recovery, drape and response to washing.

The selected fabric should therefore be reviewed together with the fit and wash direction.

If the exact fabric has not been selected, provide a reference garment or describe the required result.

Brands developing flexible denim can review our custom stretch denim jeans development guide .

How should the denim wash be specified?

A wash description should define more than a general name such as “enzyme wash,” “vintage wash” or “mid blue.”

Include the target shade, contrast, fading placement, whiskers, abrasion, handfeel and any visible effects.

Reference photographs should be supported by written comments because lighting, photography and screen settings can change the appearance of colour.

The physical wash sample should be reviewed for shade, surface effects, softness, construction appearance and finished garment measurements before bulk production.

Use our denim wash development and approval guide to prepare more detailed wash comments.

How should trims and branding be documented?

Create a bill of materials covering the fabric and every required trim. Depending on the style, this can include buttons, rivets, zippers, sewing thread, labels, care labels, leather or alternative patches, embroidery, hangtags and packaging.

For each custom item, provide the required material, colour, finish, dimensions, artwork and placement.

Artwork files should match the approved brand design and should not rely only on a screenshot.

For more detail, review our custom denim trims, buttons, rivets and labels guide .

What information is essential before the first sample?

Not every production detail has to be completely final before the first sample, but enough information must exist to build a meaningful garment.

Before the first sample, the brand should normally define:

  • Product category and fit direction
  • Reference image, sketch or technical drawing
  • Base-size measurements or a usable measurement direction
  • Fabric direction
  • Basic construction and major design features
  • Wash direction
  • Important trims or temporary sampling substitutes

Details such as final grading, final packaging or some custom trims can sometimes be completed later, provided they are clearly marked as pending and are approved before bulk production.

How should sample comments be recorded?

Sample comments should identify the exact sample version, size and review date. Comments should explain what needs to change rather than relying on general wording.

For example:

  • Reduce waist by 1 cm
  • Increase back rise by 0.5 cm
  • Move back pocket 1 cm higher
  • Reduce thigh fading intensity
  • Change button finish from bright silver to matte silver

Clear comments make it easier to understand which changes belong to the next sample version.

How should revisions and approvals be controlled?

Add a version number and revision date whenever the tech pack changes. Record what was modified, such as a measurement, pocket placement, fabric, wash or trim specification.

Comments should clearly state whether an item is under review, approved or still pending. Do not allow several conflicting versions to circulate without identifying which version is current.

The tech pack and physical sample should be used together. The document records specifications and comments, while the approved sample provides a physical reference for fit, wash, construction and handfeel.

What should be confirmed before bulk production?

Before grading and bulk cutting, the latest approved tech pack should align with the approved physical sample.

Important checkpoints include:

  • Final base-size fit and measurements
  • Grading and size range
  • Fabric and finished handfeel
  • Wash colour and surface effects
  • Construction and stitching
  • Buttons, rivets, zippers, labels and patches
  • Artwork and branding placement
  • Packaging requirements
  • Latest revision number and approval comments

You can also review our denim production and quality review process before bulk approval.

Buyer FAQ: Denim Tech Packs

Can denim development begin without a complete tech pack?

Yes. A reference image, sketch, existing garment or partial specification can begin the discussion. Missing measurements, fabric, wash, construction and trim information still need to be reviewed and confirmed as development progresses.

Does a reference image replace a tech pack?

No. A reference image communicates visual direction but may not define measurements, construction, fabric behaviour, trim specifications or finished wash requirements.

What is a POM in a denim tech pack?

POM means point of measurement. Each POM identifies where and how a garment measurement should be taken so that the brand, pattern team and quality team use the same method.

Should a tech pack include measurement tolerances?

Yes, where appropriate. Tolerances help define the acceptable range around target measurements during production and quality inspection.

Should measurements be taken before or after washing?

The tech pack should state which condition applies. Finished garment measurements normally need to be checked after the intended wash because washing can affect shrinkage and fit.

Can grading be finalised after the first fit sample?

Yes. The base-size fit can be reviewed first, and grading can be revised if the approved fit changes during development.

Can a tech pack be revised after the first sample?

Yes. Fit, construction, wash and trim comments from the first sample can be recorded in a new version. Each revision should be dated and clearly identified.

How long does sample development take?

Sample development normally takes around 30 days after the tech pack or development specifications, fabric, trims and sample requirements are confirmed.

What is TANTYDENIM’s MOQ?

MOQ starts from 100 pcs per style, wash and colour, with mixed sizes accepted. Final requirements can depend on fabric availability, wash, trims and construction.

Send your denim tech pack or product reference

Send the information you already have, including your tech pack, reference image, sketch or existing garment direction.

Include the intended product category, fit, fabric, wash, trims, size range, quantity and timeline so we can begin a focused development discussion.

Review our custom denim development and sampling process or learn more about our OEM, ODM and private-label denim development services .

Send Your Denim Tech Pack & Brief