Xochil FAQs

No. We work with apparel brands and companies (including start-up's!) to develop their products to be produced and sold at market (whether that is Direct to Consumer, Wholesale, or otherwise).

If you're not in a rush, we are happy to provide pattern making services for you to use for custom purposes, however we don't have the bandwidth to support this type of work.

If you are looking for custom design I suggest reaching out to a local fashion designer in your area, many also offer custom or made to measure designs for clients.

In Chicago, you can reach out to current or past designers at the Chicago Fashion Incubator, or our friends at E. Kaye Collection.

Absolutely! The process doesn't end with product development. We design for manufacturing.

The Chicago Pattern Maker is not a factory, but we work with several sewing contractors (locally in Chicago, domestically around the USA, and globally). We are happy to make a recommendation based on your specific needs -- product category, production order quantity, etc.

We can also help you research other potential factory options, and advise you through the process of selecting and working with your contractor.

Yes, I offer sewing services for prototyping and samples. However, due to high demand, I only offer sample sewing to my pattern clients.

Our team has experience working across multiple product and market categories, for women, men and children.

Most of the products we work are activewear, stretch knits, swim and athleisure. We also love to work on more technical items like workwear, safety and outdoor apparel, functional products, and some non-apparel accessories. This includes new-to-market inventions and category innovations such as medical or performance products that require more problem solving and working with a team to collaborate.

We also enjoy working with contemporary sportswear / ready-to-wear designs like dresses, tops, etc. Making a great fitting pant or jacket is so rewarding!

We do not work with socks/hosiery, shoes or gloves.

During your fitting or prototype review meeting, we will evaluate each garment or product for fit, fabrication and functionality, as well as discuss your goals around manufacturing, confirm stitch details, and how it relates to your brand's target market, design aesthetic, and pricing goals.

We recommend hiring a professional fit model when possible.

For new brands and products, expect to have an average of 3-5 revisions of your patterns and prototypes before being ready to go to production, depending on the complexity of the design. Established companies or designers who have existing styles and pattern blocks to work from may expect fewer revisions.

The Chicago Pattern Maker specializes in development of first through production patterns, including graded patterns and markers. Often, factories prefer to make their own markers, and we are happy to help you with this process, ensuring they get the file type/s they need.

You'll need to provide your size chart (and we can help you create one!), as well as your material information (cutable fabric width, nap or print direction if applicable) and cut order quantities. Additional information from your factory regarding piece and size layouts, block fusing, table length, and CAD system, etc. is a good idea to confirm.

You will need this information in order to start pattern making and prototype development, and I am happy to work with you if you need help completing this. Please see my Services page for more information!

We like to call your tech pack your "visual contract" or "blue print" for your factory, in order to achieve the results you are looking for in production.

Technical Specifications Package can be fairly simple or very complex, depending on your product, where and how you plan to manufacture, and other factors. It includes your technical flat design sketches, detailed design and construction call out's for your product, bill of materials, pattern ticket/cutter's must, points of measure and graded measurement specs, and label placements.

It can also sometimes include costing information, packaging and shipment detail.

We recommend that ALL clients have a tech pack before they go into production. They also serve as an essential tool during the product development process to track your pattern and prototype changes.

I need some basic information about your company (market served, price points), and information about each style you are developing. A flat design sketch with front, back and any detail view is ideal, but I'm happy to create your flat sketch from your design inspiration images and existing garments. I need to know what fabric/s and trims you are using, and ideally you have sample yardage ready to go. I'll need to know some measurement specs, for the garment itself, and/or body measurements for your fit model. We'll start your project off with a design meeting so we can go over all the details before starting patterns and prototypes. I'm happy to answer your questions and provide advisory if you're unsure about things, such as the best zipper or finishing technique to use.

This depends on a lot of factors! Are you starting a new company? Launching a single product or a collection of garments? How many pieces?

Generally speaking, since it is different for everyone, is that it takes about 6-12 months from design to production.

Starting a new company from scratch this process may take longer, about 18 months or so.

Many established brands develop their products or collections 1-2 seasons or more (6-12 months) ahead. However, introducing a new product with an existing supply chain, especially when you have an established pattern and style library to draw from, can sometimes allow for a quicker turn around time.

Remember to consider your time for sourcing materials at the beginning, and for final production (average 6-8 weeks domestically). Design and development for a new garment or product takes time and care, and isn't the same as screenprinting art on a blank t-shirt.

We'd love to discuss your goals, together we can create a plan for your product/s. Learn more about the process here.