Me When They Ask Why They Need a Tech Pack — They Sent Me a 6-Year-Old’s Pencil Sketch(Start a Clothing Brand, They Said…)

They want to start a clothing brand.

They’ve got a big vision. Big energy. Big dreams.

And then they send you…

A pencil sketch.

On lined notebook paper.

Drawn like it was done mid-meltdown at a suburban family brunch.

Then they ask:

“Do I really need a tech pack though?”

And in that moment, you look at this poor child’s drawing — complete with mismatched sleeves and a suspicious blob that may or may not be a pocket — and try not to weep for what could have been.

If you’ve been in manufacturing for more than 10 minutes, you’ve seen this. And if you’re new to the game and reading this wondering if your sketch is the one in question… it probably is.

But don’t worry — you’re not alone.

You’re just in that awkward pre-production phase where everything feels possible… but nothing is actually clear.

That’s why I made Garment Sourcing 101 — a field-tested, sarcasm-resistant course designed to help you move from idea energy to actual production. Because tech packs are not optional, and manufacturing does not run on “vibes.”

And if you’re serious about starting a clothing brand, the tech pack is step one. Not an add-on. Not a bonus. Step. One.

Let’s break this down.

What factories want:

• Measurable dimensions

• Visuals they can actually follow

• Fabric and trim callouts

• Color codes, branding placement, finishing details, tolerances

What they get instead:

• A marker sketch on a napkin

• The phrase “just something chill”

• A Canva mockup with no back view

• A note saying “size-wise… just average”

No shade. We’ve all been there.

But the harsh reality? A tech pack is what separates starting a clothing brand from “sending out a creative prompt and hoping for the best.”

Because here’s what happens when you don’t use one:

• You get back samples that look nothing like what you imagined

• The supplier makes decisions for you — and not in the good way

• You waste time, fabric, shipping fees, and trust

• Then you end up paying for another sample to fix what wasn’t clear

Multiply that by 2–3 iterations and you’ve burned more money than it would’ve cost to just get the tech pack done properly from the start.

In my 15+ years working in garment manufacturing and sourcing, I’ve seen factories do their absolute best with the limited info they’re given. But they’re not mind readers. They’re not stylists. And they’re definitely not here to guess what “kind of like that Zara piece from last spring” actually means.

A tech pack isn’t just for the factory — it’s for you.

It forces you to commit. To clarify your ideas. To define fit, finish, function.

It’s your production GPS. Without it, you’re driving blindfolded and expecting to end up at a perfectly stitched bomber jacket with branded lining and invisible zip pockets.

And don’t say ChatGPT can generate it for you.

(Okay, fine — it can help a little.)

But there’s still no substitute for an actual pack created with real-world context, sourcing knowledge, and production experience baked in.

That’s where Garment Sourcing 101 comes in.

It’s not just a course — it’s your sourcing translator. The one that helps you go from “I have a cool idea” to “Here’s the tech pack, sampling timeline, and communication templates.”

Because the truth is: most factories ghost not because they’re shady — but because they don’t know what you want, and don’t have time to guess.

Here’s how your request looks from their end:

You: “Can I get a sample of this hoodie design?”

(attaches a crayon drawing that looks like it belongs in a refrigerator gallery)

Them: “What fabric, what weight, what GSM, what finish, what stitching, what print method?”

You: “Just something normal.”

At that point, their best option is to ignore you. Or worse — send you something, and hope you’ll take it.

And this is where a lot of early-stage founders spiral.

You start blaming the supplier.

You start questioning if you’re “ready.”

You start panicking that maybe production is “too hard.”

It’s not too hard. You’re just unprepared.

And it’s not your fault — most platforms teach branding and drop vague factory contacts without showing you how to actually build product instructions.

That’s why this course exists.

To save you time, money, energy, and awkward supplier calls where you pretend to know what “taped seams” means.

To help you earn respect from suppliers by coming in clear, confident, and organized.

To help you go from sketches to production-ready without relying on guesswork and “we’ll figure it out later” energy.

So next time someone says, “Do I really need a tech pack?”

You can smile politely.

Then forward them this blog.

Or just say:

“If you want a factory to take you seriously, you don’t send them a napkin. You send them a roadmap.”

And if you don’t know how to build that roadmap yet — Garment Sourcing 101 will teach you how.

Even if your first design started life as a pencil sketch.

Even if you’ve never opened Illustrator.

Even if your budget is tight and your first order’s small.

This course is built to help real founders build real products — without fake quotes, fuzzy specs, or fainting at the first freight invoice.

Because if you’re gonna start a clothing brand — you should probably look like someone who’s ready to start a clothing brand.

And no offense to your sketch, but… it’s time.