A tech pack is the manufacturing blueprint for your garment. For technical outerwear like hardshells or down jackets, it typically requires a high level of detail to ensure waterproofing, functionality, and accurate sizing.
However, you don’t need a flawless, textbook-perfect tech pack to start a conversation with a professional manufacturer. To get your project moving, we only need the fundamental building blocks. Our technical team can help you fill in the complex engineering gaps. Here is a breakdown of what you must provide to start, and what we can help you finalize.
1. The Essentials: What You Need to Provide
If you are an emerging brand or lack an in-house technical designer, focus on gathering these three core elements:
- Visual References & Sketches: You don’t need CAD drawings. Clear flat sketches, tech drawings, or even high-quality reference photos of similar garments are a great starting point. Point out exactly what you want to change or combine.
- Core Function & Fabric Intent: Tell us what the jacket needs to do. Is it for heavy rain, extreme cold, or urban commuting? Even if you don’t know the exact chemical composition of a membrane, telling us you need a “breathable, waterproof hardshell” gives us the direction to source the right materials.
- Target Audience & Fit Profile: Who is wearing this? Provide standard measurements for your base size (e.g., a Medium) or send us a physical “fit reference” garment that matches the sizing you want to achieve.
2. The Technical Details: How We Bridge the Gap
Once you share your core concept, our factory’s technical team steps in to translate your ideas into a production-ready blueprint.
- Building the Bill of Materials (BOM): Outerwear requires dozens of components. We help you source and list the exact technical fabrics, DWR coatings, and specific trims. If you need custom-molded zippers or waterproof pulls, we will provide options that balance lead time, cost, and quality.
- Engineering & Construction Rules: You don’t need to know the physics of seam sealing. Our experienced pattern masters evaluate your design for manufacturing feasibility. We determine where to use PU seam taping, how to structure down baffles to prevent cold spots, and how to resolve potential risks in complex, asymmetric color-blocked designs.
Collaborative Tech Pack Process
To show you how we work together, here is a quick look at how responsibilities can be shared between your brand and our factory:
| Tech Pack Element | Provided by Your Brand | Finalized with Five Oceans |
| Design & Shape | Sketches, reference photos, or physical samples | Digital CAD adjustments, pattern grading rules |
| Fabrics & Materials | Target feel, weather requirements, colorways | Specific fabric GSM, hydrostatic head testing, sourcing |
| Trims & Hardware | Desired look (e.g., hidden zips, bungee cords) | Sourcing exact YKK components, custom puller molds |
| Construction | Aesthetic details and pocket placements | Stitching methods, seam-tape routing, assembly sequence |
Let’s Turn Your Concept into Reality
At Five Oceans, we specialize in making custom sportswear and outerwear accessible. We believe technical barriers shouldn’t stop great designs from reaching the market.
Don’t have a complete tech pack yet? That is completely fine. Send us your sketches, reference images, and a brief description of your project. Our technical team will review your concept and guide you step-by-step through the sampling and production process.
