How to inspect footwear before shipment
Inspect complete pairs from the packed batch against approved samples and size specifications. Check left-right matching, sole edges, seams, closures and the inside of each shoe, and record coverage across sizes and colours. Agree separate bond testing where needed. Your inspection brief can be coordinated by Cambridge China Bridge.
Brief the inspector and cover the size range
Provide approved samples, the size chart, measurement methods and photographs showing acceptable workmanship. Define the inspected unit as a complete retail pair, including its box. Our general inspection guide covers inspection timing and shipment decisions; this checklist adds the footwear checks to put in that brief. For supplier selection, see our guide to buying footwear in Jinjiang.
Have the inspector select cartons across the packed batch. Agree coverage of every ordered size and colour, including the smallest and largest sizes and any construction changes. Record any additional targeted checks separately from the acceptance sample, so they do not silently change its result. Use the AQL sampling guide to agree the sampling plan and defect counting.
Check left-right pairing before separating shoes
Open the retail box and confirm that it contains a left shoe and a right shoe of the same style, size and colour. Compare the shoe markings with the box label. Place the pair side by side on a flat surface and compare toe shape, heel height, upper shape, trim position, shade and texture.
Measure each shoe using the agreed method rather than relying on the printed size. Look for mismatched sole profiles, twisted uppers or a shoe that rocks unexpectedly. Photograph the complete pair beside its box label, then take close-ups of differences. Keep its carton and batch reference with the finding.
Examine sole bonding and specify separate tests
Follow the upper-to-sole joint around the toe, sides and heel. Look for open gaps, lifting edges, uneven attachment, glue smears and contamination. Use the agreed handling or flexing check to see whether an existing gap opens further. Record the location and affected shoe rather than describing the whole pair as having poor glue.
A neat edge or a hand flex does not establish bond strength or wear life. If bond performance matters, agree a suitable laboratory method, conditioning, acceptance criteria and production-sample selection with the laboratory before inspection. Identify pairs used for destructive tests and exclude them from saleable stock. Do not approve an improvised pull test as a substitute.
Check stitching and operate every fastening
Trace seams around the toe, heel, tongue and strap attachments. Check for skipped or broken stitches, loose ends, puckering and stitching that misses the material edge. Examine stressed attachment points closely. Compare stitch placement with the approved sample and gently handle seams using the agreed method to reveal opening or loose attachments.
Operate the fastenings fitted to each sampled pair. Run zips through their travel, engage buckles and press studs, and open and refasten hook-and-loop straps. Check for snagging linings, loose fittings and inadequate strap engagement. Lace shoes through their intended eyelets and check for rough edges that could damage the laces.
Inspect the inside and distinguish finish from fit
Remove packing and inspect the toe area, heel lining, tongue underside and footbed with a light. Look and feel carefully for exposed sharp components, hard glue lumps, folded linings, rough seams and trapped debris. Check that the insole lies flat and matches its intended attachment. Remove it only where the construction allows this.
Record odour, dampness or visible mould for investigation rather than treating smell as a chemical test. Check internal dimensions against the approved size specification. An inspector finding a comfortable fit in their own size does not establish fit across the range; use the own-brand footwear guide for size-run approval.
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Report defects by pair and release only after review
Request a report showing the inspected sizes and colours, measurements, fastening results, defect classifications and photographs linked to pair and carton references. Require unperformed checks and unavailable sizes to be stated explicitly. If a problem clusters in a size or colour, hold that affected stock and agree investigation, sorting or rework before re-inspection.
UK retailers are responsible for ensuring the footwear they sell is correctly labelled. Add a check against approved material-label artwork using our footwear labelling guide. Keep workmanship findings, label checks and laboratory results distinct, and resolve outstanding findings before shipment approval. Cambridge China Bridge can coordinate the brief and factory follow-up through its staff in China.
Frequently asked questions
Should footwear inspection count shoes or pairs?
Define a complete retail pair as the inspected unit in your brief. Check each shoe and the pairing, and agree how defects affecting either shoe contribute to the defective-pair count.
Can a hand flex check prove sole bonding?
It can reveal visible separation, but it does not establish bond strength or wear life. Agree separate laboratory testing with a defined method and acceptance criteria where needed.
Should the inspection cover every shoe size?
Agree checks covering every ordered size, with attention to the smallest and largest sizes. Record additional targeted checks separately from the acceptance sample and identify any missing coverage.
What if footwear defects affect only one size?
Hold the affected stock and investigate whether the problem follows the size, tooling, material or production batch. Agree sorting or rework and re-inspection rather than averaging the problem into other sizes.