While I always advise brands to get a tech pack made for their products because it is the surest way to set expectations for quality and consistency, not every factory requires them. (Though I haven’t met a factory that didn’t want to see the tech pack if you have one).
Even factories that don’t use tech packs usually still want to see some sort of documentation along with the pattern. This is usually in the form of a cutter’s must. In addition to the list of pieces to cut from what fabrics, you can put other construction info and notes on the cutter’s must. I’ve seen seam allowances, seam finishes, zipper lengths and trim sizes all listed on a cutter’s must.
A fellow patternmaker friend of mine said that at a dress company she used to work for, they listed each component – zippers, fusing, label placement, etc. – at the bottom of the cutter’s must in the order it would be needed on the production floor. What genius organization!
If your factory doesn’t require a tech pack and you don’t have the budget to get one made yet, condensing the key information on an accurate cutter’s must is a good compromise.