A 500-piece run of satin slip dresses came back from the factory with a 12% shade variation across the lot. The buyer had specified the color by Pantone code, but the tech pack carried no tolerance for delta E, no reference to the lighting condition for visual approval, and no instruction to batch by dye lot. The fabric was the same, the cut was the same, and the dresses were still unsellable as a set. That failure did not start at the sewing machine. It started in the fabric specification, where the numbers stopped at the fiber content and never reached the properties that decide whether a garment looks right and holds up.
Start with the End Use, Not the Fiber
The first question in fabric sourcing is not what the fiber is. It is what the dress has to do. A bias-cut satin slip needs drape and a specific weight to fall correctly, while a structured corset top needs a stable weave that will hold its shape through boning and lacing. Specify the end use first, then translate that into measurable fabric properties: weight in grams per square meter, stretch percentage, and shrinkage after laundering. A tech pack that opens with the garment type and its performance demands gives the factory a target, not a menu.
When the fabric selection is driven by the garment’s function, the rest of the sourcing decisions follow a clear logic rather than a guessing game.
Specify Fabric Weight and Construction
Fabric weight is a number, not a vibe. A chiffon at 50 gsm is not interchangeable with one at 90 gsm, and the difference will show up in the drape and the opacity. The same applies to construction: a satin woven with a high filament count will have a different hand and sheen than one with a lower count. State the weight, the weave type, and the yarn specifications in the tech pack. If you have a benchmark fabric from a previous run that performed well, include it as a physical reference. The factory can match it, or improve on it, only if they know what "good" looks like in measurable terms.
Define Color Tolerance and Approval Lighting
A Pantone code is a starting point, not a guarantee. Fabric dyes behave differently across fibers, and the same code on a polyester satin and a silk charmeuse will yield visibly different shades. The tech pack must specify the acceptable color tolerance, usually expressed as a delta E value, and the lighting condition under which the color will be visually approved. A lab dip that looks correct under a D65 daylight lamp may shift under the warm store lighting where the dress will be sold. State the lab dip approval process, the number of rounds allowed, and the physical standard that will be used for comparison. Without these parameters, color matching becomes a negotiation, and the factory will ship what they can produce, not what you expected.
Require Batch Consistency for Large Runs
For a 500-piece run, the fabric is not one bolt but several, and each may come from a different dye lot. The tech pack must instruct the factory to batch the cutting by dye lot and to flag any lot that falls outside the approved tolerance. A dress cut from two different lots will have a visible seam line where the shades meet. The instruction should also cover the handling of end-of-roll pieces and the protocol for when a lot is insufficient to complete the order. Consistency is not a default; it is a managed outcome. When the tech pack makes the requirement explicit, the factory can plan the cutting and sewing around it, and the buyer receives a lot that can be sold as a single, uniform set.
Document Shrinkage and Finishing Requirements
Fabric shrinks, and the amount it shrinks decides whether the final dress matches the graded measurements in the tech pack. The specification must include the shrinkage test method, the acceptable percentage, and the instruction to adjust the pattern for shrinkage before cutting. A fabric that shrinks 5% after washing will produce a dress that is a full size smaller than intended if the pattern is not adjusted. The finishing process also affects the hand and the drape, so specify if the fabric is to be mill-finished, calendared, or subjected to any special treatment. The finishing is part of the fabric specification, not an afterthought.
Specify Trims and Interfacing with the Same Rigor
The fabric is the headline, but the trims and interfacing are the supporting cast that can make or break the garment. A lining that is too stiff will distort the drape of a slip dress, and an interfacing that is too light will not support a collar. Specify the trims with the same detail as the main fabric: weight, fiber content, and color match. The interfacing should be specified by its fusible or sew-in type, its weight, and its intended application. A tech pack that leaves the trim selection to the factory’s discretion is a tech pack that has surrendered control over the garment’s final quality.
Include a Physical Benchmark in the Approval Process
Numbers and codes are necessary, but they are not sufficient. The tech pack should require the factory to submit a physical top-of-production sample, not just a lab dip or a swatch, for final approval before cutting the bulk. This sample is the proof that the fabric, the trims, and the construction come together as intended. The approval should be given in writing, with any revisions noted and a new sample submitted if required. The physical benchmark is the last line of defense against a lot that meets the spec on paper but fails in reality. It is the step that turns a tech pack from a document into a contract.
What to Include in a Fabric Specification for Private Label Dresses
The following table outlines the key elements that should be present in the fabric section of a tech pack, moving beyond the basic fiber content to the properties that govern performance and appearance.
| Specification Area | What to Include | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| End Use | Garment type, silhouette, and performance demands (e.g., drape, structure). | Guides all subsequent fabric decisions by defining what the fabric must do. |
| Weight | Fabric weight in gsm or oz/yd², with a tolerance. | Determines drape, opacity, and suitability for the garment’s structure. |
| Construction | Weave type (e.g., plain, satin, twill), yarn count, and filament details. | Affects the hand, sheen, and stability of the fabric. |
| Color | Pantone code, acceptable delta E tolerance, and approval lighting condition. | Prevents shade variation and ensures color matches across different fibers. |
| Batch Consistency | Instruction to batch cutting by dye lot and flag out-of-tolerance lots. | Ensures uniformity within a production run, preventing visible shade seams. |
| Shrinkage | Test method, acceptable percentage, and pattern adjustment instruction. | Guarantees the final garment matches the graded measurements. |
| Finishing | Mill-finished, calendared, or special treatment requirements. | Influences the hand, drape, and appearance of the final fabric. |
| Trims & Interfacing | Weight, fiber content, color match, and application type for all trims. | Supports the main fabric and affects the garment’s structure and drape. |
| Physical Benchmark | Requirement for a top-of-production sample for final approval. | Provides a physical check that the fabric and construction meet expectations. |
The Tech Pack as a Sourcing Contract
A tech pack is not a wish list. It is a contract that defines the fabric, the trims, and the construction in terms that can be measured and verified. When the fabric specification is reduced to a fiber content and a color code, the factory is left to fill in the blanks, and the buyer is left to accept the result. The 12% shade variation in that 500-piece run was not a factory error. It was a sourcing error, made in the tech pack, where the instruction stopped short of the details that would have prevented it. The fix is not to find a better factory. It is to write a better tech pack.
One that treats fabric sourcing as a technical process, not a creative one, and one that gives the factory the numbers they need to get it right the first time. The next run of dresses does not have to be a gamble. It can be a controlled outcome, if the tech pack is written to control it.
What to send us
If the specifications above match what you are sourcing, send your tech pack to Orange Sea Clothing. If the pack is not written yet, sketches and a reference sample are enough to start — sample development covers the design review, fabric and trim sourcing, pattern making and the first prototype, so you see fit and construction before you commit to a production run.
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