Key takeaways
- Count the lot and the sample in pairs, and agree that in writing. A defect on either shoe makes the pair defective.
- Compare the left and right shoe with each other, not only with the approved sample. Mixed sizes and shades within a pair are common findings.
- Sole separation and nail points cause the worst returns. Press and flex every sole edge and run a hand inside every shoe.
- Chemical limits, peel strength figures and safety-footwear performance are lab results. The inspector checks the goods match the tested and certified model.
Before the visit: what to send the inspector
An inspector can only judge a shoe against a standard. Send these before the inspection date:
- Purchase order and packing list with the size run per style and colour, and per carton.
- The approved sample pair, sealed, or clear photos of it, plus a shade reference and the acceptable variation within a pair.
- Size chart and last reference, with a tolerance on inside length.
- Material label wording for the upper, the lining and sock, and the outer sole, as the EU and UK rules require.
- Test reports and certificates: chemical tests for the leather and components, and for safety footwear the certificate that covers the model and sizes.
- Box, tissue, stuffing, desiccant and carton marking instructions.
- Your defect list and AQL, written to an inspection checklist.
Most of the order should be finished and packed in boxes on the day, so the sample can be drawn from across the lot.
Sampling: count in pairs
The sample size comes from ISO 2859-1, usually at general level II. For footwear, both the lot and the sample are counted in pairs. Counting single shoes doubles the lot size and changes the sample, so put the unit in writing.
Example: a lot of 3,000 pairs gives code letter K and a sample of 125 pairs. At AQL 2.5 for major defects the lot accepts 7 and rejects at 8; at AQL 4.0 for minor defects it accepts 10 and rejects at 11. Critical defects are usually set at zero. Use the AQL calculator for your own numbers, and see AQL sampling explained.
The inspector chooses cartons at random from across the lot and opens the boxes inside. Boxes set aside by the factory are not used.
The checks, step by step
- Quantity and assortment. Count cartons and pairs by style, colour and size against the packing list. Check the size ratio inside sampled cartons.
- Box against shoe. Confirm the size and style on the box label match the size marked inside the shoe.
- Pairing. Put both shoes side by side: same size, shade, grain, heel height, toe shape and stitch lines. No two left shoes, no mixed sizes, and laces, insoles and accessories complete.
- Size and fit. Measure inside length against the size chart. On request, a fit trial on a person with the right foot size.
- Lasting and symmetry. Check the toe for wrinkles, the back seam is straight, and the heel counter is firm and upright from behind.
- Sole and heel bond. Press a thumbnail along the sole edge at the toe, waist and heel, flex the forefoot, and twist the heel by hand. Look for gaps and adhesive that has not wetted the surface. On welted or Blake-stitched shoes, check stitch density and tension instead.
- Inside the shoe. Run a hand around the insole and heel seat of every sampled shoe for nail points, tacks, staples and ridges. Where the buyer requires it, pass pairs through a needle or metal detector.
- Straps, trims and hardware. Pull straps, toe posts, buckles, beads and mirrors; run zips fully; check that eyelets and laces are sound.
- Appearance. Check shade in a light box against the reference, and look for glue marks, scuffs, grain cracking at the flex line, loose threads and print faults. Rub a wet white cloth on dark or dyed parts.
- Odour, moisture and mould. Smell the boxes, look for white or green bloom, and take moisture readings on leather where agreed, especially after the monsoon.
- Labels and marking. Check the material label for upper, lining and sole against what the shoe is made of, origin marking, size marks, barcodes and box labels.
- Packing. Check tissue, stuffing in the toes, shaft supports in boots, the declared desiccant, box condition, carton strength and shipping marks. Run a carton drop test where your protocol asks for one.
Every check and every finding is photographed. The report ends in one verdict: Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared.
What to add for each type of footwear
| Product | Extra checks |
|---|---|
| Leather shoes and boots | Welt and stitch line, boot zips and gussets, shaft height on both boots, mould in cartons |
| Leather sandals | Strap and toe-post pull, buckle function, tack points through the footbed |
| Kolhapuri chappals | Pair-by-pair measurement against a wider agreed tolerance, hand stitching and braid, all-leather claim |
| Juttis and mojaris | Pull checks on beads, mirrors and embroidery, sole stitching, dye bleed on textile uppers |
| Safety footwear | Marking against the certificate, toe cap and penetration insert present, model and size covered |
| Sports shoes and sneakers | Bite line and glue overflow, peel and flex, colour migration on white soles |
| Canvas and textile shoes | Foxing tape and toe-cap adhesion, stains on light canvas, print alignment |
| Rubber and EVA footwear | Strap plug pull, hardness with a durometer, moulding flash, dimensions |
Common footwear defects and their classes
| Defect | Usual class |
|---|---|
| Nail, tack or staple point inside the shoe | Critical |
| Broken needle or metal fragment | Critical |
| Safety shoe missing its toe cap, or marked differently from its certificate | Critical |
| Small parts that detach from a children's pair | Critical |
| Mould on uppers, linings or soles | Critical or major, by extent |
| Sole separating at the toe or heel | Major |
| Two sizes or two left shoes in a box | Major |
| Shade difference within a pair | Major |
| Wrinkled toe after lasting | Minor or major, by severity |
| Adhesive marks on the upper | Minor |
Your defect list decides the final class. See critical defect and major defect.
What needs a lab, not an inspector
An inspector finds weak bonds by hand and can supervise the factory's own peel tester. A peel strength figure for your specification, chromium VI in leather, PAHs and phthalates in rubber and plastic parts, lead in children's shoes, and safety-footwear performance are measured by an accredited lab. In the EU, chromium VI in leather that touches the skin is limited to 3 mg/kg under REACH; see chromium VI in leather. Safety footwear sold in the EU is PPE under Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and is usually tested to EN ISO 20345.
Clear To Load has no partner laboratories. We pull and seal pairs for an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab you choose or we suggest, and check the report against the goods. See lab testing coordination.
When to inspect a footwear order
For a first order, book a during-production inspection when the first pairs come off the line. Sole bonding, lasting and size problems can then be fixed while lasts and moulds can still be corrected. The pre-shipment inspection checks the packed goods and ends in the verdict.
Agra, Kanpur and Ambur are Towns of Export Excellence for leather products; see Agra, Kanpur and Ambur. An inspection costs US$249 per man-day, with travel by band; see pricing and footwear inspection.
Sources
- ISO 2859-1, Sampling procedures for inspection by attributes, Part 1 (iso.org)
- Directive 94/11/EC on the labelling of materials used in footwear (EUR-Lex)
- The Footwear (Indication of Composition) Labelling Regulations 1995 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment
- ECHA: Substances restricted under REACH (Annex XVII)
- DGFT: Appendix 1B, Towns of Export Excellence (Agra, Kanpur, Ambur: leather products)