Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sock tech pack?
It is the production specification: sketch and measurements, yarn, sizes, artwork and packaging. It is the document the factory knits from and the reference for every later decision.
What if I do not have a sketch?
A photograph with measurements marked on it works to start the conversation, and most factories can turn it into a graded sketch. The yarn and size information is the part that has to be specific from the beginning.
Does the logo need to be vector?
Yes. Knitting and embroidery follow stitch paths that only vector files describe. A pixel image produces a poor result no matter how good the original looked.
How many sizes should I include?
As many as your market needs, and every one needs its own measurement line. Sizing is where orders go wrong when the chart is copied from another brand.
Can the factory source the yarn for me?
Yes. Tell them the fibre percentages and the finish and they will match it to their stock or their mill; certified yarn options are available on request.
A sock tech pack is the single document that tells a factory exactly what to knit. The parts that matter are: the sketch with measurements, the yarn specification with fibre percentages, the size chart, the logo artwork with placement and colours, and the packaging instruction. Miss any one of these and the factory will guess, and the guess is what arrives.
What a Sock Tech Pack Contains
A tech pack is not a mood board. It is a specification that removes ambiguity. For socks, the list is short and every item is load-bearing:
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Design sketch | Front and sole view, with the length of the cuff, the position of the heel and the placement of the logo marked |
| Yarn specification | Fibre with percentages, yarn count or weight, and the finish (combed, brushed, mercerised) |
| Size chart | Foot length and cuff height for every size in the run, in the unit the factory works in |
| Logo and artwork | Vector file (AI, EPS or PDF), colour references, size in millimetres and the exact placement |
| Packaging | Belly band, hangtag or polybag; what is printed on each and where |
Why the Yarn Section Is the One Factories Judge You On
A sketch can be vague and still get a sample. A vague yarn line cannot. “Cotton sock” gives the factory nothing; “95% cotton, 5% spandex, combed, 200-needle” tells them which machine setting to plan for and lets them price it correctly. The standard constructions we work with are listed in our material guide, and they are a reasonable starting point for your own pack.
Where the logo goes is equally concrete. Knitted, printed, embroidered and grip-application are four different processes with four different costs and four different look-and-feel outcomes; the decision guide is in our logo options guide.
Getting the Size Chart Right
Every size in the run needs its own line, and the line needs to be the length the foot actually measures, not the shoe size. Sock sizing varies by brand and by region; the measurement removes the guessing. Cuff height should be measured too, because “crew” means different lengths to different buyers. A sample in each size is the only way to confirm the chart before bulk, and it is the step most often skipped and most often regretted.
What Happens After You Send the Pack
Most factories will come back with questions, and the questions tell you where the pack was thin. A sample round usually takes 5-9 working days and a small fee; the second round should be smaller than the first, which is the sign the pack was doing its job. The ordering sequence is in our custom ordering guide.
The minimum order for custom runs is 50 pairs per size per design, and the standard colour library is over 330 stock yarn colours.
Common Mistakes in a First Tech Pack
Three mistakes come up again and again. The first is sending a design without measurements: a sketch tells the factory the shape but not the size, and the sample that comes back is usually wrong in the cuff. The second is stating a fibre as a marketing phrase instead of a percentage; “soft cotton” cannot be bought, “95% cotton, 5% spandex” can. The third is leaving the packaging to the end, when it is often the part that has the tightest deadline. A pack that has these three decided at the start produces a first sample that is close enough to refine rather than redo.
Conclusion
A sock tech pack earns its place by removing the guesses: measurements instead of style words, percentages instead of adjectives, vector artwork instead of a screenshot, and a packaging decision instead of “we will see”. A pack with those four is a pack a factory can price honestly and knit correctly on the first try.
Need help translating your artwork into a factory specification? Check our 96N–200N sock needle count and yarn gauge chart and our custom yoga and Pilates grip socks hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sock tech pack?
It is the production specification: sketch and measurements, yarn, sizes, artwork and packaging. It is the document the factory knits from and the reference for every later decision.
What if I do not have a sketch?
A photograph with measurements marked on it works to start the conversation, and most factories can turn it into a graded sketch. The yarn and size information is the part that has to be specific from the beginning.
Does the logo need to be vector?
Yes. Knitting and embroidery follow stitch paths that only vector files describe. A pixel image produces a poor result no matter how good the original looked.
How many sizes should I include?
As many as your market needs, and every one needs its own measurement line. Sizing is where orders go wrong when the chart is copied from another brand.
Can the factory source the yarn for me?
Yes. Tell them the fibre percentages and the finish and they will match it to their stock or their mill; certified yarn options are available on request.
What We Do with a Pack When It Arrives
The first thing a factory does with a tech pack is price it and question it. The questions are the useful part: which yarn, which sizes, where the logo, what packaging. A pack that answers all four without a phone call produces a sample without a delay, and a pack that leaves them open starts the project with a week of email. We would rather read a rough pack early than a finished pack late.
A Note on Communication
The best tech packs are short and specific rather than long and vague. A one-page sheet with a sketch, a yarn line, a size chart and a logo file will get a faster and more accurate quote than a fifty-page deck. Factories read specifications; the clearer the numbers, the closer the first sample.
The Standard We Hold a Pack To
A pack is ready when a knitter could work from it without asking a question. That is the whole test. Everything in this article is in service of it: the sketch with numbers, the yarn with percentages, the sizes with measurements, the artwork with placement. When the pack reaches that standard, the quote is honest and the sample is close.
Ready to turn a design into a knit? Send us your spec sheet and we will tell you what is missing before we quote.