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How do you become a product development specialist?

DepartmentDesign and product developmentModulePLM

The product development specialist is the person who turns the design into a producible product with the tech pack and the bill of materials (BOM), and runs material approvals and sample rounds.

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Product development specialist

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Product development specialist, in brief

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One tech pack, one BOM, one valid version: everything that goes to production comes from the approved record.

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  • Prepares the tech pack: drawing, measurement chart, stitching details, label and packing instructions.
  • Builds the BOM, records material and fit approvals, runs the sample rounds.
  • Season rhythm: design handover, material approvals, proto and fit rounds, PPS approval, handover to production.
  • The most important documents are the tech pack, the bill of materials (BOM), the fit comment list and the PPS approval record.
  • Write the version and date on every page of the tech pack; check that it is the latest version before you send it.
  • Judged by sample rounds per style, tech pack accuracy and a complete handover to production.
Key documents
  • Tech pack
  • Bill of materials (BOM)
  • Fit comment list
  • PPS approval record and latest tech pack
Works most closely with
  • Fashion designer
  • Pattern maker
  • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
Download the note as PDFRead in detail
Read in detailall documents, workflow, cases
  1. Prepares the tech pack: technical drawing, measurement chart, stitching details, label and packing instructions.
  2. Builds the BOM: fabric, lining, interlining, trims, labels and packaging, with quantities and suppliers.
  3. Follows fabric, color (lab dip), print (strike-off), trim and fit approvals, and records each approval.
  4. Runs the sample rounds; compares each incoming sample with the tech pack and writes comments.
  5. Once the pre-production sample is approved, hands the up-to-date tech pack and BOM over to production complete.

In a season

  1. Design handover

    The drawing arrives; the tech pack and BOM are opened, materials are sourced.

  2. Approvals

    Fabric, lab dip, print and trim approvals. A production sample is not requested with unapproved materials.

  3. Sample rounds

    Proto, fit, revision. A comment list at every round, a tech pack update for every comment.

  4. Pre-production

    PP sample approval. The latest version of the tech pack and BOM goes to production.

  5. Production

    Answering technical questions from the field with the right version.

Who do they work with?

  • Fashion designer
  • Pattern maker
  • Sample coordinator
  • Sourcing / purchasing specialist
  • Costing specialist
  • Quality control coordinator
  • Production follow-up coordinator

From school to work

What you learned at schoolAt work
You learn technical drawing and put a style on paper with its measurements.At work, a technical drawing becomes a contract. The factory sews whatever it sees in the drawing; there should be no room for interpretation.
You learn to prepare and hand in a style's tech pack.At work, tech packs have versions. If the pocket detail changed last week and the new tech pack did not go to the supplier, the sample arrives according to the old tech pack.
You learn to look at a sample and see what needs fixing.At work, you turn this into measurements: instead of 'the sleeve is long' you write 'sleeve length to be shortened by 1 cm', mark up the photo and tie the comment to a measurement point. A clear comment means fewer sample rounds.
You get to know fabric types and their basic properties.At work, questions are added on top of this knowledge: you are the one who asks about the fabric's weight, width, shrinkage and test results.
You learn that a sample brings a style to life.At work, there are types of samples: proto, fit, revision, size set, PP. Each has a different purpose and a different approver; 19% of the 242 ads in Turkey we reviewed want you to know this flow.

What do job ads ask for?

From 242 fashion and retail job ads published in Turkey in August–October 2026.

Sample flow (proto, fit, SMS, PPS)

In 19% of the 242 job ads.

Knowledge of fabric, yarn and trims

In 25% of the 242 job ads.

Measurement chart, fit and fittings

In 24% of the 242 job ads.

Tech pack

In 10% of the 242 ads.

English

In 33% of the 242 ads; for corresponding with suppliers and customers abroad.

Experience

The 7 product development and garment technologist ads in the sample are for mid-level and senior titles. People usually enter this position as an assistant.

The first 90 days

  1. Read a tech pack from start to finish; learn who each section comes from.
  2. For every incoming sample, write the comments tied to measurement points, and mark up the photo.
  3. Get to know the approved materials in the fabric library: weight, width, composition.

Which field of study?

Textile engineering, garment production technology, fashion design, textile and fashion design. Sample room or workshop experience matters as much as your department; most specialists start as a product development assistant.

Superpower

Bringing the gap between the idea in the drawing and the product that leaves the factory close to zero.

At work

From the inside: documents, decisions, cases

Documents, handovers, decisions and mistakes that happen on the job.

A working day

  1. 09.00

    You read the supplier e-mails that came in overnight: lab dip dispatch, fabric test report, sample shipping notice. You link each one to the relevant product record.

  2. 09.30

    You compare the incoming sample with the tech pack. The sample coordinator measures the points on the measurement chart; you compare the deviations with the tolerance.

  3. 11.00

    You prepare for the afternoon fit session: which of the previous round's comments are closed, and which are still open?

  4. 13.30

    Fit session. The designer, the pattern maker and you. You tie each comment to a measurement point and mark up the sample's photo.

  5. 15.00

    You update the tech pack and write the new version number and date. You send only the new version to the supplier, together with the comment list.

  6. 16.00

    After the fit, a trim changed in the BOM. You tell the costing specialist and sourcing the same day.

  7. 17.00

    You go through the checklist for styles whose pre-production sample (PPS) is coming up: are fabric, color, trim, fit and test approvals all recorded?

A sample day; hours vary by company and season.

Workflow: before you, after you

  1. 1
    Open the tech pack
    Input
    Technical drawing, design notes
    Output
    Draft tech pack and measurement chart
    Handover
    Pattern maker
  2. 2
    Build the BOM
    Input
    Tech pack, material selection
    Output
    Bill of materials (BOM)
    Handover
    Sourcing / purchasing specialist
  3. 3
    Run the material approvals
    Input
    Lab dips, strike-offs, trim samples, test reports
    Output
    Approved materials list
    Handover
    Sourcing / purchasing specialist
  4. 4
    Request a sample
    Input
    Tech pack, pattern
    Output
    Sample request
    Handover
    Sample coordinator
  5. 5
    Evaluate the sample
    Input
    Sample, measurement results
    Output
    Fit comments and current tech pack version
    Handover
    Pattern maker
  6. 6
    Report the cost of the change
    Input
    BOM change
    Output
    Current BOM
    Handover
    Costing specialist
  7. 7
    Pass on the checkpoints
    Input
    Tolerances and critical measurements in the tech pack
    Output
    Quality control checkpoints
    Handover
    Quality control coordinator
  8. 8
    Hand over to production
    Input
    Approved PPS sample
    Output
    Latest tech pack and BOM
    Handover
    Production follow-up coordinator

Documents that pass through your hands

DocumentFromToWhenWhat for
Technical drawing and design notesFashion designerProduct developmentOn the drawing due dateThe starting point of the tech pack; missing details are asked about here, not at the sample.
Tech packProduct developmentPattern maker, sample room, supplier or subcontractorOpened before the proto sample, updated at every roundMeasurements, stitching, materials, label and packing instructions in a single document; the factory sews according to this document.
Bill of materials (BOM)Product developmentSourcing, costing specialistAs the material selection becomes clearThe quantity, supplier and unit of each material; sourcing gets its requirements and the costing specialist the cost from here.
Lab dip, strike-off and trim approval cardsSupplierProduct development (with design approval), then back to the supplierDuring the material approval periodSo that it is on record which material was approved, on which date and by whom.
Fabric test reportSupplier or test labProduct development, quality controlBefore fabric approvalResults such as shrinkage after washing and color fastness; if there is a problem, you go back to the pattern or the supplier.
Fit comment listProduct developmentPattern maker, supplierAfter each fit sessionCorrections tied to measurement points, with photos; the next sample is checked against this list.
PPS approval record and latest tech packProduct developmentProduction follow-up, quality controlWhen the pre-production sample is approvedThe single correct version going to production; quality control inspects against this version.

Decisions

  • Accepting a measurement deviation within the tolerance written in the tech pack.Approved by: Your decision; you write the measurement and the decision into the fit list.
  • Approving a deviation that is out of tolerance but visually acceptable.Approved by: Together with design and quality control; for an export order, the customer's approval is needed.
  • Having a sample sewn with materials whose approval is not complete.Approved by: Normally not done. Under calendar pressure, only if it is clearly labeled as a 'reference sample' and the collection manager is informed.
  • Changing a trim or its supplier.Approved by: Together with sourcing and the costing specialist; if it changes the look, design approves.

What are you evaluated on at work?

  • Sample rounds per style
  • Material approvals closing on schedule
  • Tech pack accuracy: technical questions and version errors coming from production
  • PPS sample approved in the first round
  • Complete handover to production (latest tech pack, BOM and approval records)

Common mistakes on the job

Updating the tech pack and sending the old version to the supplier.

ResultThe sample arrives according to the old tech pack; a round and a week are lost.

PreventionPut the version number and date on every page of the tech pack; check that it is the latest version before you send it.

Writing a comment without measurements ('the sleeve is long').

ResultThe supplier guesses how much to shorten it; the next sample doesn't fit either.

PreventionTie every comment to a measurement point and a value, and mark up the photo.

Not telling the costing specialist about a change in the BOM.

ResultThe margin changes without anyone noticing; it comes out at the order stage.

PreventionOn the day you touch the BOM, write to the costing specialist and sourcing.

Approving the PPS without waiting for the test report.

ResultThe fabric shrinks in the wash; measurements don't hold in bulk production.

PreventionPut the test report on the PPS checklist as a mandatory item.

Not writing the tolerance in the measurement chart.

ResultEvery deviation turns into an argument; quality control doesn't know what to base its decision on.

PreventionWrite a plus-minus tolerance for every measurement point.

Case: what would you do?

Case 1On the second fit sample from the supplier, the pocket detail is still in its old form. It was changed in the tech pack last week.What do you do?

A good answerFirst you ask the supplier which tech pack version they are working with, and you check the version history. You resend the correct version and still write up the sample's other deviations with measurements. Then you find out why the version didn't reach them: the distribution list, or an old e-mail thread?

A wrong version means an error once in the sample and once again in production. If you don't find the cause, it happens again with the next style.

Case 2The fabric's shrinkage-after-washing result came out above tolerance. The PPS date is close.What do you do?

A good answerYou inform quality control and sourcing the same day. You ask the supplier whether a treatment that reduces the fabric's shrinkage is possible, and you talk with the pattern maker about adding a shrinkage allowance to the pattern. You write to the collection manager about how the options affect the calendar, and you don't approve the PPS until the test result is fixed.

A shrinkage problem is small in a sample and big across the whole bulk run. Waiting for approval costs a week; carrying the problem into production costs a whole lot.

Case 3After the fit session, the designer asks for a collar change in the hallway.What do you do?

A good answerYou turn the change into a written revision request. You work out its impact on the tech pack, BOM, cost and calendar, and notify the costing specialist and the collection manager. Once the decision is made, you open a new version of the tech pack.

A verbal change doesn't get on record; three weeks later, nobody remembers why it changed.

Think of your own answer first, then open it.

Global

How does this position work with the world?

The language of product development is international: terms like tech pack, BOM, fit comment, tolerance, PPS and garment technologist also appear in the ads we reviewed, and tech packs for suppliers abroad are often written in English. At a manufacturer that exports, the customer may bring its own tech pack template and its own PLM system; the same measurement points and version logic work on both sides. The fiber composition, material and production facility information that will be required for the EU digital product passport is fed from the BOM; if the BOM is not correct and current, the passport data will be wrong too.

What changes with PLM?

BeforeWith PLM
The tech pack is a spreadsheet or a PDF file; people try to tell which version it is from the file name.The tech pack is generated from the product record; which pages and which version went to the supplier is on record.
You notify the costing specialist and sourcing of a BOM change separately by e-mail.Costing and sourcing look at the same BOM; a change shows up in the activity log along with who made it.
Fit results sit separately in a photo folder and a measurement spreadsheet.In the measurement chart, the fit rounds are side-by-side columns; the critical points are listed in the same record.

Career path

  1. Product development assistant
  2. Product development specialist
  3. Senior product development specialist (garment technologist)
  4. Middle manager (product development or technical)

Glossary for this position

Tech pack
The production package that gathers a style's technical drawing, measurement chart, materials, stitching details and instructions in one document.
BOM (bill of materials)
The list of all materials needed to make a product, with quantity, unit, supplier and price.
Measurement chart
A chart showing the target value of each measurement point of a style, size by size.
Proto sample
The first sample, where the design is put into fabric for the first time, sewn to see proportions and the overall look.
Fit sample
The sample on which the garment's fit and measurements are checked on a mannequin or a live fit model.
Fit comment
The written list of corrections from a fit session, tied to measurement point and round.
SMS (salesman sample)
The sample prepared for the showroom, catalog, sales presentations and photo shoots.
PPS (PP) sample
The last approval sample before bulk production, sewn with the fabric and trims that will be used in production.
Sample round
Each sample stage in which a style is sewn again with corrections: 1st round, 2nd round and so on.
Lab dip
A small color trial the dyehouse prepares in the lab to hit the target color.
Composition
Information showing which fibers a fabric or product is made of, and in what proportions.
Revision
The new version of a style, tech pack or costing after a change.
Approval flow (status flow)
The sequence of stages a product goes through from design to bulk, and the approval at each stage.
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What does the work look like on screen?

In Pimland, product development's three documents sit in the same product record: the tech pack, the BOM and the measurement chart. Plus a log that traces every change.

  1. Create the tech pack: Pimland screen
    Screen from the demo environment; brands and amounts are demo data.
    Step 1

    Create the tech pack

    The tech pack window lists its pages: cover, fabric details, color, measurement chart, washing details, front and back details, materials and sizes, instructions, critical points. You tick the pages you want and click 'Create Document'.

    At work, in reality, the same pages may not go out for every style. But which pages and which version went to the supplier must be on record.

  2. Read the BOM line by line: Pimland screen
    Screen from the demo environment; brands and amounts are demo data.
    Step 2

    Read the BOM line by line

    In the bill of materials, each line is a material: route (cutting, sewing), material group (main fabric, interlining, button, label), supplier, material code, price, currency, quantity, unit, delivery date, composition and note. At the top, the revision selection and the 'set as current' box.

    At work, in reality, if a trim changes in the BOM and the cost is not updated, the margin quietly changes. When you change the BOM, tell the costing specialist.

  3. Track the measurement chart and fit rounds: Pimland screen
    Screen from the demo environment; brands and amounts are demo data.
    Step 3

    Track the measurement chart and fit rounds

    On the measurement type values screen, the size set is XS–XL and the reference size is M. Each measurement point (length, hem, chest, waist, shoulder) is written size by size, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fit columns next to it. Route type and revision are at the top, and the 'recalculate from reference' button is here too.

    At work, in reality, if the value measured in a fit round deviates from the chart, the tolerance is checked first. If no tolerance is written, the arguing starts.

  4. Find out who changed what: Pimland screen
    Screen from the demo environment; brands and amounts are demo data.
    Step 4

    Find out who changed what

    The product activity log keeps every change line by line: date, user, field name, action type (created, updated, added), previous and new value. In the example, the product type moved from sample to bulk, and colors and the country of production were added.

    At work, in reality, the 'I didn't change it' argument ends in the log. A wrong version means a whole wrong lot at the factory.

These screens are from the Pimland PLM module.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions about product development specialists

4 questions

Design decides how the product will look; product development decides how it will be made. The designer sets the silhouette, color and details; the product development specialist turns them into measurements, materials and workshop instructions.

Usually the product development specialist prepares and updates it. The designer adds the drawing, the pattern maker the measurement and pattern information, purchasing the materials and suppliers, and the quality team the tolerances and checkpoints.

The English job title of the specialist who looks after the technical side of the garment (fit, measurements, sewing and material suitability). It largely overlaps with product development work; some companies call it product technologist.

A small color trial the dyehouse prepares in the lab to hit the target color. Design and product development compare it with the target color; the approved trial becomes the reference for production dyeing.

· Pimland Academy team