Finally, an AI Fashion Tool That Actually Solves Real Designer Problems
- Mikelle Drew
- Jul 24
- 5 min read
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TL;DR
AI Techpacks is a tool that generates professional tech packs in minutes, and it's actually good. Starting at $28/month, it can get you 50-70% of the way to a complete tech pack with surprisingly accurate specs and measurements.
While it has some limitations (no cloud saving, single colorway focus, alpha sizing only), it's a solid solution for designers who want to spend less time on tech pack grunt work and more time on creative design.
What I loved: Accurate specs, auto-grading, reasonable pricing, flat sketch generator
What needs work: Cloud saving, measurement callout customization, multi-colorway support
Bottom line: Worth trying if you do regular tech packs; it's addressing real designer pain points, not just creating flashy AI art.
What's in This Review
We don't need another AI image generator cluttering up our feeds with questionable fashion sketches.
But when I heard about AI Techpacks, I practically jumped at the chance to test it out. Why? Because it tackles something we fashion designers actually struggle with daily: tech packs.
If you've been following my work, you know I'm all about finding tools that address the real pain points of a fashion designer, not just the flashy stuff that looks good on social media. And tech packs are probably our biggest collective headache as designers.
Why I Was Skeptical (But Hopeful)
I have been waiting for more AI fashion tools that actually understand what we do to get physical products made: the unglamorous but absolutely essential tasks. The kind of work that takes us away from the creative parts we actually love doing.
So when Benjamin from AI Techpacks reached out asking if I wanted to see a demo, I couldn't say yes fast enough. But, I went in with realistic expectations. I knew this wasn't going to magically complete entire tech packs for me. No tool probably ever will.
What AI Techpacks Actually Does
The platform (at the time I originally reviewed it) offered three ways to generate tech packs:
using reference images,
creating custom measurements, or
using their flat sketch library.
What I appreciated is that they actually tell you who should use each method and what the pros and cons are which is super helpful if you're unsure which approach fits your current project.
After testing all three methods, I found the custom measurements option (which is now simply called Tech Pack Generator) to be the most accurate, especially when you can upload your own sketches.
The Real Test: How Accurate Is It?
Here's where I got genuinely impressed. I tested it on a casual top, and while I didn't have actual measurements, I was familiar with what specs a top like it should be.
The results? Surprisingly accurate.
The hem height came in at 6cm (about 2 3/8") (Pretty spot on.)
Collar height is listed as 4cm (about 1 5/8") (I'd normally guess 2", but still very close.)
Zipper length is listed as 20cm (about 7 7/8") (Makes total sense; this would probably be an 8" zipper.)
Total length was listed as 65cm (about 25 5/8") (This was the only one I felt was a little off. I would have put this more at 24 1/2" which is ~62cm.)
What I Actually Love About This AI Fashion Tool
The Price Point: Starting at just $28/month, with a pro plan at $38/month. For freelance designers and indie fashion brands, that's pretty reasonable if you're creating a lot of tech packs.
Speed: You can get a tech pack that's 50-70% complete in just a few minutes. Yes, you'll need to tweak things, but it's a massive head start compared to building from scratch.
The Flat Sketch Generator: For those still mastering flat sketching, this feature is genuinely impressive. I tested it on several styles and was (happily) surprised by the accuracy and detail level.
Specs Accuracy: This was my biggest pleasant surprise. Specs often trip up the designers I work with, so seeing how accurate this tool is was a real win.
The Costing Sheet: This isn't always included in tech packs, and it's usually something you have to wait for from manufacturers. While it doesn't include labor, freight, or taxes, getting material costs upfront is incredibly valuable for pricing decisions.
Auto-Grading: The measurement table automatically grades your sizes based on your increment. Grading gives many designers trouble, so this feature alone could be worth the subscription.
The Challenges (Because Nothing's Perfect)
I'm calling these "challenges" rather than problems because none are deal-breakers (at least not for me), but they're worth considering:
Using Your Own Sketches: While I love being able to upload my own flat sketches, I noticed the specs weren't as accurate when I did this versus using their generated sketches. The team is constantly updating, so this might be temporary, but definitely double-check your specs if you go this route.
No Cloud Saving: Tech packs can only be saved locally; there's no working file saved in your account. Since tech packs are living documents that need updates and revisions, not being able to return to edit can be frustrating.
Measurement Callouts: The tool adds callouts for basic measurements that are industry standard. I typically only use callouts for design-specific measurements, not industry standard POMs. And I'm not going to just add them to the callouts page. Too many callouts can make sketches look crowded and defeat their purpose.
Alpha Sizing Only: There's no numeric sizing option, which could be an issue for wovens designers who don't use Small/Medium/Large sizing.
Single Colorway Focus: The generated tech pack really only accommodates one colorway. If you're launching multiple colors, you'll need to manually add additional pages.
Limited Sketch Views: You're restricted to front and back views, no additional detail sketches.
Costing Glitch: The costing sheet seems to break when dealing with fabric blends (like 95% cotton/5% spandex), splitting them onto separate lines and throwing off the calculations.
My Bottom Line
Would I recommend AI Techpacks? Definitely.
This tool can be a fantastic starting point, especially if you don't already have a solid system in place already for creating your tech packs. While it won't magically complete your entire tech pack, it'll get you significantly closer to a finished product much faster than starting from scratch.
And remember: these AI tools improve constantly (there are quite a few updates between the time I did my original review to me posting this blog!), So some of the challenges I mentioned might be resolved by the time you try it out.
Will You Be Trying AI Techpacks?
I'm curious about your thoughts on this. Are you planning to give AI Techpacks a try? Are you skeptical about AI tools in fashion? Or are you perfectly happy with your current tech pack process?
Drop me a comment and let me know where you stand. And if you do test it out, I'd love to hear about your experience: the good, the challenging, and everything in between.
The fashion industry is evolving rapidly, and tools like this represent a shift toward addressing our actual day-to-day challenges rather than just creating pretty pictures. I'm totally here for that evolution.
What about you?
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