How to Design a T-Shirt: From Idea to Production
How to design a t-shirt from scratch — covering silhouette, fabric selection, neckline construction, sizing, and production-ready tech pack creation.
Define your t-shirt style
T-shirts may seem simple, but the design decisions are numerous. Start by defining the core parameters:
- Silhouette: regular fit, oversized, boxy, slim, cropped
- Neckline: crew neck, V-neck, scoop neck, mock neck
- Sleeve: short sleeve, long sleeve, 3/4 sleeve, cap sleeve
- Hem: straight, curved, split side, raw edge
- Weight class: lightweight (120-160 gsm), midweight (160-200 gsm), heavyweight (200-280 gsm)
Choose your fabric
Fabric choice defines the entire character of a t-shirt. A 140 gsm cotton jersey makes a soft, drapey tee. A 240 gsm cotton makes a structured, heavyweight tee with a completely different feel.
Consider fiber content (100% cotton, cotton-poly blend, tri-blend), construction (single jersey, piqué), and finish (garment-dyed, pigment-dyed, enzyme-washed). Each combination creates a different product.
Design the construction details
The details that separate a basic tee from a premium one are in the construction. Specify your neck rib width, binding method, and stitch type. Decide on sleeve hem treatment — single fold, double fold, or raw edge. Plan your side seam construction and bottom hem finish.
If your t-shirt includes graphics, specify placement, print method (screen print, DTG, heat transfer), and any special requirements like distressed effects or puff ink.
Create your tech pack and produce
Build a tech pack with flat sketches, measurements, BOM, and construction notes. For t-shirts, the measurement chart is critical — small differences in body width, length, and sleeve length significantly affect fit perception.
AI tools can generate a complete t-shirt tech pack in minutes. Describe your t-shirt specifications, and platforms like Skema3D produce a production-ready tech pack you can send directly to your manufacturer.