How to Make a Tech Pack for Headwear: Caps, Baseball Caps, Dad Caps & More

A tech pack for headwear is a technical specification document that tells your manufacturer exactly how to construct your cap—covering panel counts, crown height, brim shape, materials, trims, embroidery placement, closures, and sizing. Without one, your factory is guessing, and a poorly-fitted cap is one of the most visible ways a product can fail. A complete headwear tech pack typically runs between 5 and 10 pages and should contain enough detail to sample, cost, and produce the style without follow-up questions.

Caps look deceptively simple. They're not. A baseball cap alone involves 6 panels, a structured or unstructured crown, a brim with variable curvature, a sweatband, a closure, and multiple embroidery or print placements—each of which is a decision point that needs to be locked in before your factory cuts a single panel. Getting these wrong at the tech pack stage causes sample rejections, fit problems, and cost overruns.

This guide walks you through building a tech pack for the most common headwear styles—baseball caps, dad caps, 5-panel caps, and fitted caps—step by step.

What a Headwear Tech Pack Needs to Cover

A headwear tech pack must communicate three things clearly: what the cap looks like, how it's constructed, and how it's measured. Every section feeds into one of those three categories.

A complete tech pack for headwear typically includes:

• Cover page with style name, season, colourway, and revision history

• Flat sketches (front, back, side, and detail views)

• Bill of Materials (BOM) listing every fabric, trim, and component

• Points of Measure (POM) with key dimensions

• Construction details including stitch types, seam allowances, and panel configuration

• Embroidery and decoration specs

• Colourways showing each variant

• Labelling and packaging specs

Each section should be self-contained so that any factory team member can find what they need without cross-referencing unrelated pages.

Step 1: Identify Your Cap Style and Define the Structure

Before you write a single spec, you need to be clear on which cap style you're producing. Each has different construction requirements, and your tech pack structure follows from that decision.

The Most Common Headwear Styles

Baseball cap (6-panel structured): Six panels, a stiff front panel (usually buckram-backed), a curved brim, and an adjustable or fitted closure. The most common style globally. Highly structured crown.

Dad cap (6-panel unstructured): Same panel count as a baseball cap but with no buckram backing on the front panel. The crown slouches naturally. Softer look, lower profile. Usually has a curved brim and a metal buckle or strap closure.

5-panel cap: Five panels instead of six, which creates a single large front panel—ideal for flat embroidery or print. Can be structured or unstructured. Common in streetwear and outdoor brands.

Fitted cap: No adjustable closure. Sized by head circumference (e.g. 7⅛, 7¼, 7⅜). Often has a flat brim and a structured crown. Requires a full size run in your tech pack, not just S/M/L.

Snapback: Structured crown, flat brim, and a snap closure at the back. Popular in streetwear. The flat brim is a key distinguishing spec.

Getting the style clearly named on your cover page prevents any ambiguity before production starts. "Cap" tells your factory almost nothing. "6-panel unstructured dad cap with curved brim and brass slide buckle closure" tells them exactly what to build.

Step 2: Build Clear Flat Sketches

Flat sketches are the visual foundation of your tech pack. They're technical drawings—not fashion illustrations—showing the cap from multiple angles with every panel, seam, trim, and detail visible and annotated.

For headwear, you need at minimum:

• Front view showing panel seams, crown shape, brim, and any decoration placement

• Back view showing the closure, back panel, and any rear decoration

• Side view showing the profile, brim curvature, and crown height

• Detail views for anything non-standard: eyelets, sweatband, closure mechanism, brim tip stitching

If you're not a CAD designer, this is the point where most founders stall. Platforms like Specter OS include a pre-loaded CAD library where you can pull a cap base—baseball, 5-panel, dad cap—adjust the details, and export production-ready flats without any design background. For a broader walkthrough of what factories need to see in your sketches, common tech pack mistakes covers the most frequent errors.

Callouts Matter More Than Artistry

Your sketches don't need to be beautiful. They need to be annotated. Use arrows and labels to call out:

• Panel count and seam placement

• Crown height (low, mid, or high profile)

• Brim length, curvature (pre-curved or flat), and tip stitching pattern

• Eyelet placement and type (metal vs. fabric)

• Button or pom on crown (and specifications if present)

• Closure type and placement

• Sweatband material and depth

• Decoration placement with dimensions from reference points (e.g. "embroidery centred on front panel, top of design 15mm from crown seam")

A factory will follow what's labelled. They'll guess what isn't.

Step 3: Build the Bill of Materials (BOM)

The BOM is a table listing every physical component that goes into the cap. For a standard baseball cap or dad cap, expect 10–18 line items.

A typical 6-panel cap BOM includes:

Be specific. "Cotton twill" is a start, but "300gsm brushed cotton twill, 100% cotton" is what your factory needs to source accurately.

Key Material Decisions for Headwear

The shell fabric defines the look and feel of your cap more than any other single decision. Common options:

• Brushed cotton twill: Soft, matte finish. Standard for dad caps. Usually 200–300gsm.

• Canvas or duck cloth: Heavier, more structured. Common in workwear-influenced styles.

• Wool blend: Premium feel. Standard for fitted caps and sports-heritage styles.

• Nylon or polyester: Performance caps, outdoor or sport applications. Lightweight and moisture-resistant.

• Corduroy: Seasonal texture. Usually 6-wale or 8-wale specified.

If you don't specify, your factory will use whatever shell fabric they stock, and your sample will look nothing like your reference.

Step 4: Specify Every Point of Measure

The Points of Measure (POM) section is where most headwear tech packs fall short. Caps have fewer measurements than a garment, but each one matters significantly for fit.

For a standard adjustable cap (one-size-fits-most), you'll need approximately 10–15 measurements. For a fitted cap with a full size run, multiply those across each size.

Key headwear measurements include:

1. Head circumference (inner sweatband, fully extended for adjustable styles)

2. Crown height (from base of crown to top button, front centre)

3. Front panel height (from brim seam to crown seam)

4. Brim length (from base of crown to brim tip, front centre)

5. Brim width (widest point, side to side)

6. Brim curvature (flat, slightly curved, or fully curved—specify radius if curved)

7. Back panel height (from closure to crown seam)

8. Closure strap width

9. Sweatband depth (width when folded down inside)

10. Eyelet diameter

11. Distance between panel seams (for structured panels, top of brim to crown seam)

12. Embroidery placement (distance from crown seam, brim seam, and lateral centre)

For each measurement, provide the target value and a tolerance (acceptable variance). Typical tolerances for headwear are ±0.5cm on crown height and brim dimensions, ±1cm on head circumference for adjustable styles.

For a fitted cap, you'll need a full size run—typically 6⅞ through 8—with a grade rule showing how the head circumference and panel dimensions change between sizes. Leaving this out means your factory will grade the sizes themselves, and they may not match your fit intent.

Step 5: Document Construction Details

Construction details cover how the cap is sewn together—not just what it's made of. This section is where quality and cost are primarily controlled.

Key construction callouts for a headwear tech pack include:

Panel assembly:

• Seam allowance (typically 6mm for caps)

• Seam direction (pressed open or to one side)

• Crown seam topstitch: single needle, stitch density (typically 7–8 SPI), distance from seam (e.g. 2mm)

Brim construction:

• Number of rows of topstitching (6, 8, 10 rows are common—more rows = more premium/structured look)

• Stitch spacing between rows (typically 3–4mm)

• Brim tip stitching pattern (straight, curved)

• Underbrim colour (self-fabric, contrast colour, or black—specify)

Crown top:

• Button type (self-covered, metal shank, or button-less)

• Button attachment method

Sweatband attachment:

• Folded and stitched inside, or taped

• Sweatband seam overlap placement (typically at centre back)

Closure:

• For snapbacks: snap count (usually 2 snaps), snap size, snap material

• For dad caps: strap material, buckle type and finish, strap width

• For fitted caps: no closure—specify finishing of back seam

Eyelets:

• Metal set eyelets vs. fabric buttonhole eyelets

• Eyelet set placement (centred on each panel seam, or between panel seams)

Why Construction Details Affect Pricing

The number of brim topstitch rows alone can shift your unit cost meaningfully. 6 rows is standard for an entry-level cap. 10–12 rows signals premium construction and takes longer to sew. Similarly, metal eyelets cost more than fabric eyelets but have a significantly longer wear life. Specifying precisely lets you control where your margin goes. Leaving it ambiguous lets your factory choose.

Step 6: Specify Embroidery and Decoration

Most caps carry some form of decoration—embroidery, woven patches, printed labels, or heat transfer. Each method has its own spec requirements.

For embroidery (the most common cap decoration):

• Artwork file: Vector file (AI or EPS) or DST embroidery file if you have one

• Stitch count: Your factory will calculate this, but you can request a stitch count estimate for costing

• Thread colours: Madeira or Isacord thread reference codes (not just colour names)

• Placement: Precise dimensions from reference points—"centred on front panel, bottom of design 20mm from brim seam"

• Embroidery underlay: Yes or no; relevant for structured fronts

• Backing: Tear-away or cut-away stabiliser (cut-away is more durable)

For woven labels, patches, or printed logos, include the same placement specs and dimensions, plus the attachment method (sewn on all edges, bar-tacked at corners, heat-pressed, etc.).

Decoration placement is the single section most likely to cause sample rejections. Logos that are 5mm too high or 3mm off-centre are visible to any customer. Specify with dimensions, not just "centred."

Step 7: Cover Colourways, Labelling, and Packaging

Colourways

If your cap launches in multiple colours, each colourway needs its own section showing:

• Colour name and Pantone TCX or TPG reference (e.g. "Vintage Navy — Pantone 19-3832 TCX")

• Shell fabric colour

• Underbrim colour

• Sweatband colour

• Closure colour and hardware finish

• Thread colour (tonal in most cases)

• Embroidery thread colours per colourway

Saying "navy" leaves your factory choosing from hundreds of navy shades. A Pantone code locks it in.

Labelling and Packaging

The final section covers everything that ships with the cap:

• Main label: Woven or printed, dimensions, placement (sewn into back interior seam or on sweatband)

• Size label: Placement, material

• Care label: Wash instructions and fibre composition—must comply with your market's regulations

• Hangtag: Card weight, print method, attachment method

• Polybag: Size and thickness

• Packing instructions: Flat-packed or box-packed, master carton quantities

Skipping packaging specs is a consistent founder mistake. Factories default to generic packing, and you'll receive 300 caps in unbranded clear bags with no tissue paper.

Where Specter OS Fits In

Building a tech pack for headwear in spreadsheets and PowerPoint works at first—but it breaks down fast. Every revision creates a new file. Factory comments live in WhatsApp threads. Embroidery placement notes get buried in email chains. By sample three, no one's certain which spec is current.

Specter OS centralises this by giving you a single source of truth: your tech pack, factory communications, sample tracking, and production status all in one place. The pre-loaded CAD library includes headwear bases so you can build cap flats without a designer, and version control means your factory is always working from the latest spec—not a file someone emailed six weeks ago.

Specter OS offers a free tier for early-stage brands building their first tech packs, which is worth exploring before committing to paid tools.

Common Mistakes When Making a Headwear Tech Pack

A few patterns come up repeatedly with first-time founders working on caps:

• Vague fabric specs. "Cotton cap" isn't a spec. "300gsm brushed cotton twill, 100% cotton, stone colourway" is.

• Missing brim topstitch count. This affects the look, the structure, and the cost. It must be specified.

• No embroidery placement dimensions. "Centred on front panel" without measurements leaves the factory guessing on the exact position.

• Forgetting the underbrim colour. It defaults to whatever the factory has—often black—which may clash with your design intent.

• Skipping tolerances. Without defined tolerances,