Hoodie tech pack: spec sheet, trims and construction details
How to write a hoodie tech pack: points of measure, fabric weight, rib and drawcord trims, hood and pocket construction, and the mistakes that cause bad samples.
Updated 1 October 2026 · By Hem Apparel
A hoodie has more parts than a T-shirt: hood, kangaroo pocket, drawcord, ribbed cuffs and hem, and usually a heavier fabric. Each part is another place a sample can go wrong, so a hoodie tech pack needs more detail than a tee pack. This guide covers what to specify.
Fabric
Most hoodies use French terry (loops on the inside) or fleece (brushed inside). Write the fabric type, fibre content and weight in GSM. As a rough guide, 280–350 GSM is a mid-weight hoodie and 400 GSM or more is heavyweight. Say whether the fabric is pre-shrunk, brushed or garment washed, because these change both the feel and the final size.
Points of measure
Measure the garment flat. The values below are illustrative for a relaxed fit in size M; replace them with measurements from a hoodie you like.
| Point of measure | How to measure | Example, size M | Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chest width | 2.5 cm below the armhole, edge to edge | 60 cm | ±1 cm |
| Body length | High point shoulder to hem | 68 cm | ±1 cm |
| Shoulder drop | Neck point to sleeve seam | 6 cm | ±0.5 cm |
| Sleeve length | Shoulder seam to cuff end | 60 cm | ±1 cm |
| Hem rib, relaxed | Edge to edge, unstretched | 46 cm | ±1 cm |
| Cuff opening, relaxed | Edge to edge, unstretched | 9 cm | ±0.5 cm |
| Hood height | Neck seam to top of hood | 36 cm | ±1 cm |
| Hood width | Widest point, hood laid flat | 28 cm | ±1 cm |
| Pocket opening | Along each opening edge | 20 cm | ±0.5 cm |
Trims and details to list
- Drawcord: length, width, material, end finish (knotted, tipped or metal aglets).
- Eyelets: metal or stitched, inner diameter, position from the hood edge.
- Ribbing: fibre content, weight, height of cuff and hem, with and without stretch.
- Hood: single or double layer, lined or unlined, centre seam or flat.
- Pocket: kangaroo or zip, bar-tack positions and size.
- Neck tape and labels: inside neck tape, main label position, care label position.
Construction notes
Name the seam and stitch type for the shoulders, side seams, hood edge, pocket and hems. Overlock with a topstitch is common on the hood and pocket. Add a stitch density, such as 10–12 stitches per inch, and note where bar tacks reinforce stress points like the pocket corners.
Common hoodie mistakes
- Measuring rib relaxed in one place and stretched in another without saying which.
- Missing hood dimensions, which makes hoods look too small or too deep.
- Heavy fabric without a shrinkage allowance in the pattern.
- Artwork placed 'on the chest' with no distance from the neck seam. Remember the pocket can cover low placements.