Xochil Herrera is the founder of The Chicago Pattern Maker, a design and product development service provider for apparel and sewn products brands. She and her team collaborate with creative partners and factories alike, and bring technical expertise, guidance, and genuine care to the pre-production process of pattern making, technical design, and prototyping. An analytic creative, she works hard to create beautiful and functional products that are ready to take to market, and works across multiple apparel categories including knit and woven sportswear, performance activewear, swim, workwear and outerwear, plus-size, and sewn accessories.

Named a "Rising Star" by SPESA in 2021, Xochil has a keen understanding of the production process through her network of factories and suppliers, and by staying closely involved with clients throughout their development. She is very passionate about Made in USA products, ethical sourcing and manufacturing, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the SEAMS Association, where she was honored with the Sarah Friedman "Person of the Year" Award in 2024. She serves as Secretary on the Executive Board for Apparel Industry Board Inc (AIBI) in Chicago, an organization she has been involved with for over a decade. Passionate about education and preparing the next generation in the sewn products industry, Xochil is an Adjunct Professor of Instruction at Columbia College Chicago's School of Fashion, where she leads workshops on industrial sewing and tech packs.

She also taught the Senior Capstone course Concept to Consumer for 5 years. Xochil enjoys promoting the textile and sewn products industry through learning experiences, collaborative events and continuous professional development. She has notably been involved with several industry tradeshows and conferences, planning, speaking and moderating educational sessions and panels. She writes a bi-monthly column "X-Files" for the SEAMS newsletter, and co-hosts a podcast called "Bobbin Around," and has contributed to e-Textile Communications.