How much does a fashion
tech pack cost?

The short answer

Where your tech pack lands in that range depends on how complex the garment is, how much detail the factory needs, and who builds it.

At Design Land NYC, factory-ready tech packs start at $950 per style, graded and ready to sample. Below, we explain what that buys, what the cheaper options leave out, and how to budget a collection without surprises.

We have built tech packs for more than 20 years, for brands sold at Urban Outfitters, Kmart, Macy's and Nordstrom. This guide is what we tell every founder on a first call.

What a tech pack is, and why the factory needs it

A tech pack is the instruction manual for your garment. It tells a factory exactly how to cut, sew, trim, label and size it, so the sample comes back right the first time.

A complete tech pack usually includes:

• Technical flats, front and back, with construction callouts
• Bill of materials: fabric, trims, thread, labels and packaging
• Measurement spec with points of measure
• Size grading across your full size range
• Colorways and artwork or print placement
• Label and hang tag placement

Factories quote, sample and produce from this document. If it is vague, they guess. Every guess costs you a sample round, a delay, or bulk that doesn't match what you designed.

What tech packs cost, by who makes them

The price spread is wide because you are buying very different things. Here is roughly what the market charges per style.

The cheapest rows are fine for a simple tee or an early concept. Once a factory is quoting your bulk order, the gap between rows shows up in your sample bill.

What pushes the price up or down

Five things decide most of the cost:

1. Garment complexity. A crew tee has a handful of seams. A lined jacket with zips, pockets and a hood has dozens of construction steps to spec.
2. Size range. Grading XS–XL is less work than XS–4XL, plus sizes, or a petite range.
3. How finished your design is. A clear sketch with references moves faster than an idea that still needs designing.
4. Revisions and fit rounds. Ask whether fit comments after the first sample are included or billed by the hour.
5. Number of styles. Styles in one collection share fabrics, trims and a size standard, so each extra style costs less to build.

Rush timing adds cost too. If your factory slot is next month, say so on the first call.

What our $950 per style includes

Every Design Land NYC tech pack is built to be sampled, not just looked at:

• Technical flats with construction details, trims and a full BOM
• A graded size spec, XS–4XL
• One round of fit comments after your first sample
• 7–10 business days per style
• Your production files, yours to keep on final payment

Complex outerwear, swim and multi-piece sets are quoted on the intro call. We'll tell you the price before you commit to anything.

If you want us to stay on through sampling, we also handle factory communication, lab dip and fit approvals, and packaging sign-off. That production support is quoted separately. See every option on our pricing page.

The real cost of a cheap tech pack

A $150 tech pack is not cheaper if it costs you two extra sample rounds. Each round means new sample fees, shipping, and weeks of waiting while your launch date slips.

The usual problems we fix in other people's tech packs:

• No grading, so the factory invents sizes 2 through 4
• Missing trims, so the factory substitutes its own zips and labels
• No fit standard, so every style in the line fits differently
• Vague construction, so the seams, stitches and finishes are the factory's choice, not yours

The question is not "what does a tech pack cost?" It is "what does it cost to get a sample I can sell from?"

How to budget a collection

Multiply your style count by the per-style price, then apply the collection discount. Our pricing takes 10% off each style for 5–9 styles and 15% off for 10 or more.

These use our starting price. Complex styles are quoted individually.

Then add your sampling costs. Plan on at least one sample per style, and budget for a second round on anything with a new fit or fabric.