MANUFACTURING / JAPAN SOURCING
Garment OEM tech packs: a photograph does not define the size range
Two T-shirt samples can look similar and still differ in fit, construction and wash results. Give the sewing partner a controlled specification that connects the drawing, material, measurement points and sample decisions.
First decide who develops the pattern
A buyer sends a photograph and asks a Japanese sewing company for T-shirts in S, M and L. The image shows a direction; it does not define the base-size measurements, the other sizes or who develops the pattern. A fabric order and an order for finished garments also involve different work.
TAGS lists pattern preparation, sample sewing, grading and specification documents among its services.[1] Use those as separate questions when asking a partner what it will do. Confirm the intended production location and origin for the actual order; the supplier’s address alone does not establish Japanese manufacture.
Put each measurement on the same drawing and table
Choose the base size and define the points of measure. For a flat T-shirt, a width measured across the body is not the full chest circumference. A length also needs a named starting point. Agree whether the garment is measured before or after the specified finishing or wash procedure, and under what preparation conditions.
DRIOV describes linking drawings and measurement points with base-size values, grading direction and product-specific tolerances.[2] Record units and the permitted variation beside each measurement. Do not copy another style’s tolerance or assume a size label describes a body measurement.
- 1Flat garment: A is body width; B is length from the defined shoulder/neck point
- 2Specification: point ID, units, state, target and tolerance
- 3Size range: review the graded measurements and requested size samples
Schematic only, with no target dimensions. The measurement locations must be agreed for the actual style; grading is not a uniform enlargement of the drawing.
Name what must remain the same as the reference
Identify fabric composition, construction, weight, finish, colour and hand reference, then list relevant trims, seams, stitches, labels and artwork placement. Mark exactly which feature a reference photograph controls. If the chosen fabric or trim is still a proposal, record that rather than treating it as approved.
Keep pattern revision, specification revision and sample ID together. A finished sample made in substitute fabric may help assess a construction detail, while fit or wash behaviour in the intended fabric remains open. Ask the partner what the sample can establish before approving it.
A base-size fit decision leaves other sizes to review
Agree whether the buyer provides graded patterns and a size chart, or asks the partner to develop them. State which sizes need physical samples and which measurements or fit features need review. There is no fixed size-set rule in this guide.
Use a compact decision record rather than scattered corrections in several messages. The example below is an editorial template; targets and tolerances remain to be agreed.
| Record | Attach or define | Decision still required |
|---|---|---|
| Base-size fit | Attach or definePoint-of-measure drawing, units, garment state and measured sample | Decision still requiredTargets, tolerance and fit comments |
| Materials and construction | Attach or defineFabric/trim references, seams, artwork and pattern revision | Decision still requiredApproved items versus proposals or substitutions |
| Size development | Attach or defineGraded chart/patterns and requested sample sizes | Decision still requiredSize-specific measurements and fit review |
| Production reference | Attach or defineSample ID, specification revision and change log | Decision still requiredOpen exceptions, approval owner and release scope |
Close the correction loop before using the sample for production
For each sample round, combine comments into one dated record tied to point IDs and photographs where useful. State approve, revise or open, then update the specification and pattern references. Keep the earlier sample identifiable so a correction cannot silently become the next order’s standard.
Send the supplier what is available now: style views or a reference garment, intended use and destination, base size, size range, quantities by size/colour and the development work still needed. An incomplete tech pack can start a discussion if its unknowns and responsibilities are clear.
Questions to send your supplier
Open supplier questions
Style / intended use / destination: Reference views and what each reference controls: Base size, size range and quantity by size / colour: Point-of-measure drawing, units and garment state: Fabric, trim, construction, artwork and label references: Pattern / specification revision and existing sample IDs: Please separate buyer-supplied work from pattern development, grading, sourcing and sewing you propose to provide. Please identify sample sizes, evaluation and targets/tolerances still to agree, and how corrections update the pattern/specification. Open decisions, approval owner and target date:
Sources
- TAGS — Sample sewing and pattern services
Manufacturer describes sample sewing, pattern preparation, grading and specification documents as distinct work. Its delivery times and capacity are not generalized or verified for an order.
- DRIOV — Clothing Tech Pack
Manufacturer guidance on measurement definitions, materials, construction and sample comments. Used for enquiry questions, not as a standard or evidence of Japanese origin.