Fashion Terminology Explained: A Beginner’s Guide for Startup Brands
Fashion Terms, Startup Education & Production Clarity
Fashion has its own language—and if you're building your first collection, it might feel like you're at a dinner party where everyone speaks it but you. At Marcí Consulting, I work with first-time founders and small brands every day, and I’ve seen the same confused look when words like tech pack, grading, or range plan start flying around.
Let’s fix that.
This guide is your friendly decoder ring.
1. Tech Pack: Your Garment’s Recipe Book
A tech pack is like a recipe for your garment. It tells the factory exactly how to “cook” your design—what ingredients (fabric, trims) to use, how long to “bake” (construction details), and how it should look when it’s done (flat sketches, measurements, etc.).
Without one, your idea is just a vague guess—and guesswork gets expensive fast.
Included in a tech pack:
Flat sketches with construction callouts
Fabric and trim specifications
Measurements and grading
Labels, stitching, hardware, and finishing details
Marcí Tip:
“Think of your tech pack as your voice when you're not in the room. The clearer it is, the less room there is for costly surprises.”
2. Patterns & Grading: How Your Garment Gets Its Shape
A pattern is the 2D paper (or digital) template used to cut your fabric before sewing. If your tech pack is the recipe, your pattern is the cookie cutter.
Then comes grading—the process of resizing that original pattern into other sizes like S, M, L or EU 36–42.
Startup myth: You need a separate pattern for every size.
Reality: You just need one base pattern that’s then accurately graded.
3. Range Plan vs. Lineup: Think Like a Storyteller
A range plan is the logical brain: it maps out all your styles, target price points, fabric usage, and collection balance.
A lineup is the visual soul: it shows how the collection flows—what garments come first, which ones anchor the story, and how they’re styled together.
Marcí Insight:
“Range plan = the bones. Lineup = the beauty.”
Both are needed if you're aiming to design with intention—not just throw pieces together and hope for the best.
4. Moodboard vs. Concept Board: The Feel vs. The Frame
A moodboard captures the emotion, vibe, and energy of your collection. Think: colors, textures, references, and feelings.
A concept board builds on that—it starts connecting those feelings to actual silhouettes, materials, and design directions.
Moodboard = the dream. Concept board = the plan.
5. MOQ: What Factories Need from You
MOQ stands for Minimum Order Quantity—a fancy way of saying: how much do you need to order for us to say yes?
Big manufacturers: 300–500 pcs per style
Smaller studios: 50–100 pcs
Boutique or ethical ateliers: sometimes even less
Always ask this upfront. If your production volume is low, I can help match you with partners that work small and smart.
6. Sampling: Try Before You Buy (in Bulk)
Sampling is where your idea meets reality—and often, where adjustments begin.
Here’s the usual flow:
Prototype / First Sample – basic interpretation of your design
Fit Sample – used to perfect proportions and movement
PP (Pre-Production) Sample – final green-light version before production
If your first sample isn’t perfect, don’t panic. Revisions are part of the process. No designer nails it in one shot—and if they say they do, they’re skipping something.
Quick Glossary for Busy Founders
Tech Pack
The blueprint or recipe for your garment. It tells the factory exactly how to bring your design to life—from materials to measurements.
Pattern
The 2D template used to cut the fabric before sewing. It defines the shape and structure of your garment.
Grading
The process of resizing your base pattern across multiple sizes (S, M, L, etc.).
Range Plan
A strategic overview of your full collection: styles, pricing, fabric usage, and balance.
Lineup
The visual arrangement of your garments—how they’re styled and flow together in lookbooks or presentations.
Moodboard
A visual collage of textures, colors, and references that captures the emotional tone of your collection.
Concept Board
A more refined and directional version of the moodboard, showing the design logic behind your collection.
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
The smallest quantity a factory will accept per style or order. Always ask about this before sampling.
Fit Sample
A test garment made to check proportions, movement, and comfort. It often leads to further refinements before production.
From Overwhelmed to Empowered
You don’t need to become an expert overnight—but understanding these terms puts you back in control. You’ll ask better questions, make more confident decisions, and work with manufacturers on equal footing.
Need a Translator for All This?
That’s where I come in. At Marcí Consulting, I help early-stage brands go from inspiration to production-ready with education, tech packs, sourcing, and creative direction.
Your ideas deserve to be understood.
Let’s build something beautiful—without the jargon getting in the way.
