Short answer: a BJJ gi tech pack is the document that tells a factory exactly how to make your gi. It covers the flat sketches, fabric and GSM for jacket and pants, collar build, stitching and reinforcement, a size chart with measurement points and tolerances, artwork placement, labels and trims, and packing. A complete tech pack gets you an accurate quote, a correct first sample and identical reorders. Without one, the factory has to guess, and guesses cost you sample rounds and money.
This guide shows what to put in a tech pack for a custom BJJ gi, rash guard or fight shorts, and gives you a checklist you can send to any manufacturer.
What Is a Tech Pack?
A tech pack (technical package) is a set of pages, usually a PDF or spreadsheet, that defines a garment so precisely that two different factories could make the same product from it. For fightwear it normally includes:
| Section | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Flat sketches | What does the garment look like, front and back? |
| Bill of materials (BOM) | Which fabrics, trims, threads and labels are used? |
| Construction details | How is it sewn and where is it reinforced? |
| Size chart and measurement points | How big is each size, and how is it measured? |
| Artwork and placement | Which logos go where, at what size and colour? |
| Labels and trims | Which neck, size, care and brand labels go where? |
| Packing instructions | How is each piece folded, bagged, labelled and boxed? |
Why a Tech Pack Matters for Gi and Fightwear Brands
- Accurate quotes. Fabric weight, collar build and the number of embroidery positions change the price. A tech pack lets every factory quote the same product, so you can compare like with like. See our custom BJJ gi cost breakdown for what drives price.
- Fewer sample rounds. Every revised sample adds courier costs and one to two weeks. A clear spec gets the first sample much closer to final.
- Consistent reorders. Your second and third production runs should match the first. The tech pack is the reference both sides check against.
- Clear quality standards. Measurement tolerances and reinforcement points give you an objective standard to approve or reject goods.
- Brand protection. A tech pack is your design record. Pair it with an NDA when you share it with a factory.
Tech Pack Section 1: Flat Sketches
Flat sketches are simple black-and-white technical drawings, not fashion illustrations. Include:
- Jacket front and back, open and closed
- Pants front and back, with waist closure shown
- Close-ups of the collar, cuffs, side vents and knee panels
- Callouts pointing to every detail you mention elsewhere in the tech pack
If you cannot draw, a clear photo of a reference gi with arrows and notes is a workable start. Many factories, including ours, will turn that into proper flats.
Tech Pack Section 2: Bill of Materials for a BJJ Gi
The BOM lists every material. For a gi it should cover:
| Item | What to specify | Example entry |
|---|---|---|
| Jacket fabric | Weave and GSM | Pearl weave, 450 GSM, cotton |
| Pants fabric | Fabric type and weight | Ripstop, cotton/poly blend |
| Collar | Filling and outer fabric | Rubber (EVA) foam core, cotton cover |
| Thread | Type and colour | Polyester, colour-matched |
| Reinforcement tape | Width and colour | Cotton tape at stress points |
| Waist closure | Drawstring, rope or elastic | Rope drawstring, 6 belt loops |
| Labels | Neck, size, care, brand | Woven neck label, printed care label |
| Patches or embroidery | Method and size | Woven patch, back of jacket |
Not sure which weave or GSM to choose? Our BJJ gi fabric guide compares pearl, gold and double weave, and the lightweight vs heavyweight gi guide explains how weight affects comfort and durability.
Always give colours as Pantone references, for example Pantone 19-4052 TCX (Classic Blue), not just “blue”. Screens show colours differently, but Pantone codes do not change.
Tech Pack Section 3: Construction and Reinforcement
This is where cheap gis and good gis differ. Specify:
- Stitching: stitch type and stitches per inch on main seams
- Reinforcement points: armpits, side vents, sleeve cuffs, crotch gusset and knees
- Collar: stitching rows, collar height and how the filling is fixed
- Pants: single or double knee panels, gusset shape, length of side slits
- Pre-shrinking: whether fabric should be pre-shrunk before cutting
If your gi is for competition, write “must comply with IBJJF uniform rules” in the tech pack and check our IBJJF gi rules checklist. Rules cover colours, collar thickness, sleeve and pants length, and patch positions.
Tech Pack Section 4: Size Chart and Measurement Points
A size chart in a tech pack is a finished garment measurement chart, not a body chart. It lists each size (A0–A5, women’s F1–F5, kids M0–M4) against named points of measure (POM):
| Point of measure (jacket) | How it is measured |
|---|---|
| Jacket length | High point of shoulder to hem |
| Chest width | Armpit to armpit, laid flat |
| Sleeve length | Collar centre back to cuff |
| Sleeve opening | Cuff width, laid flat |
| Collar width | Across the collar at its widest point |
| Point of measure (pants) | How it is measured |
|---|---|
| Waist | Relaxed waist, laid flat |
| Inseam | Crotch seam to hem |
| Outseam | Waistband to hem |
| Thigh width | One inch below crotch, laid flat |
| Leg opening | Hem width, laid flat |
Add a tolerance for each point. Plus or minus 1 cm on length and width measurements is a common working standard, with tighter tolerances on small points like cuffs. Tolerances are what you use to accept or reject a sample.
Use our BJJ gi sizing chart as a starting point, and the kids’ BJJ gi sizing guide if you sell youth gis.
Tech Pack Section 5: Artwork and Placement
For each logo, give the factory:
- Vector file (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG), not a JPG or screenshot
- Method: embroidery, woven patch, sublimated patch, screen print or heat transfer
- Position: measured from a fixed point, for example “centre of logo 8 cm below the collar seam, centred on the back”
- Size: width and height in centimetres
- Colours: Pantone or thread colour codes
Our guide to custom BJJ patches and embroidery explains which method suits which position.
Tech Pack Section 6: Labels, Trims and Packaging
These small details make a gi feel like a brand product:
- Labels: woven neck label, size label, care label (wash temperature, fibre content, country of origin), and any brand tab on the pants
- Hang tags: design, string colour and position
- Packaging: polybag, branded gi bag or box; see our custom BJJ gi bags guide
- Carton marking: how many pieces per carton, size breakdown and carton labels
- Marketplace labels: barcodes or FBA labels if you sell on Amazon
Tech Packs for Rash Guards and Fight Shorts
No-gi products need different details.
Rash guards:
- Fabric composition and GSM, for example polyester/spandex blend
- Sublimation artwork as a full-size print file with bleed, or a flat template filled in
- Flatlock stitching on all seams
- Silicone waist gripper, if used
- Sleeve length and fit: compression or regular
Grappling and fight shorts:
- Shell fabric and stretch panels
- Closure: velcro fly, drawcord or both
- Side splits and their length
- Inner liner or compression short, if any
- Leg length by size
See our pages on custom rash guard manufacturing and custom grappling shorts for available options.
Common Tech Pack Mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Body measurements instead of garment measurements | Gis come out too small or too large | Specify finished garment POMs |
| No tolerances | You cannot reject an off-spec sample | Add a plus or minus figure to every POM |
| Colour names instead of Pantone codes | Colours do not match your brand | Use Pantone TCX/TPX codes |
| Low-resolution logo files | Blurry patches and embroidery | Supply vector files |
| No packing instructions | Mixed cartons, no barcodes | Add a packing page |
| Changing specs by message only | Reorders drift from the approved sample | Update the tech pack and version-date it |
Tech Pack Checklist (Copy This)
Before you send a tech pack to a factory, check it contains:
- Flat sketches of front, back and key details
- BOM with fabric type, GSM and Pantone colours
- Collar, stitching and reinforcement specification
- Finished garment size chart with points of measure and tolerances
- Artwork files in vector format, with method, position and size
- Label, hang tag and packaging details
- Carton and marketplace labelling instructions
- Quantity per size and colour
- Target price and delivery date
- Version number and date on every page
Don’t Have a Tech Pack Yet?
You do not need a finished tech pack to start. At Onrox International we work with first-time founders as well as established brands:
- Send what you have: a reference gi, a sketch, your logo and your target market.
- We build the spec with you: fabric, GSM, collar, sizing and branding options.
- Free digital mockup: see your design before anything is cut.
- Pre-production sample: approve the physical sample against the tech pack.
- Bulk production: made to the approved sample and tech pack.
Our OEM gi programme starts at 25 pieces per colour, private label at 50 pieces, and fully custom designs at 100 pieces. We sign NDAs, and payment terms are 50% deposit and 50% before shipment. Read more in OEM vs private label explained and our complete guide to starting a BJJ gi brand.
Frequently Asked Questions — BJJ Gi Tech Packs
Q: Do I need a tech pack to order custom BJJ gis?
A: Not always. For a simple order, such as a stock gi with your logo, a factory can work from a reference gi and your artwork. For your own brand design, a tech pack saves sample rounds and keeps reorders consistent.
Q: Who makes the tech pack, me or the factory?
A: Either. Many brands hire a freelance technical designer. Others send a sketch and reference gi and let the factory build the specification, then approve it.
Q: What file format should a tech pack be?
A: A PDF is the most common, with an Excel sheet for the size chart and BOM. Logo artwork should be supplied separately as vector files.
Q: Should the size chart use body or garment measurements?
A: Garment measurements. A tech pack describes the finished product, measured flat, with a tolerance for each point of measure.
Q: Can one tech pack cover several colours?
A: Yes. Keep one construction specification and add a colourway page that lists the fabric, thread and logo colours for each version.
Q: Will a factory share my tech pack with other brands?
A: A reputable factory will not. Ask for an NDA before sharing your designs; Onrox signs NDAs with brand clients.
Get Your Gi Spec Reviewed
Send your tech pack, sketch or reference gi and we will reply with a factory-direct quote and any spec suggestions within 24 hours.
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