Specialists in the western boot industry, not generalists.
Detailed inspection
Pair by pair, against criteria agreed in writing.
Professional reports
Photographic evidence and every defect classified.
ISO 9001 internal auditor
Inspections led by a certified internal auditor.
English spoken
We deal with your buyer in the United States, in English.
Services
What we inspect
Each service can be contracted on its own or as a complete finished-product audit.
Finished product audit
Full review of the finished pair against the customer's specification, before it leaves the plant.
Visual and dimensional inspection
Verification of measurements, symmetry, heights and proportions against the model's technical sheet.
Leather and finish inspection
Detection of scars, stains, shade variation, skiving marks and finishing defects in the leather.
Stitching and embroidery review
Control of stitches per inch, loose thread, skipped stitches, alignment and embroidery symmetry.
Sole and heel inspection
Verification of bonding, incipient separation, heel height, nailing and assembly alignment.
Pair and size verification
Confirmation that each box holds the correct pair, a complete size run and matching labelling.
Defect identification and classification
Every finding is recorded and classified as critical, major or minor under criteria defined in advance.
Photographic report of findings
Visual evidence of every defect found, so the decision does not rest on a written description.
Specification compliance assessment
Point-by-point comparison against the specification agreed between manufacturer and buyer.
Measured, not estimated
Every finding is checked against the agreed specification and recorded with its evidence.
Qualified inspectors, 100% inspection of your product
English spoken
ISO 9001 certified internal auditor
Pair by pair, not a sampling plan
Photographic evidence of every finding
Defects classified: critical, major and minor
Criteria agreed in writing before we start
Audit report within 24 hours
Western boot specialists
Seven production stages covered
Defects caught before shipment
Corrective actions followed up
Inspection at your plant, before the product ships
Qualified inspectors, 100% inspection of your product
English spoken
ISO 9001 certified internal auditor
Pair by pair, not a sampling plan
Photographic evidence of every finding
Defects classified: critical, major and minor
Criteria agreed in writing before we start
Audit report within 24 hours
Western boot specialists
Seven production stages covered
Defects caught before shipment
Corrective actions followed up
Inspection at your plant, before the product ships
Qualified inspectors, 100% inspection of your product
English spoken
ISO 9001 certified internal auditor
Pair by pair, not a sampling plan
Photographic evidence of every finding
Defects classified: critical, major and minor
Criteria agreed in writing before we start
Audit report within 24 hours
Western boot specialists
Seven production stages covered
Defects caught before shipment
Corrective actions followed up
Inspection at your plant, before the product ships
Our commitment
Qualified inspectors, 100% inspection of your product
This is not catalogue copy. It is the difference between finding a defect in your plant and finding out once your customer's customer is already wearing the pair. We protect your brand.
Who checks your product
Qualified inspectors
Inspectors with specific experience in western boots, not generalists rotating between industries. They know where each stage fails and what to look for in every one.
How much gets checked
100% inspection
We check pair by pair, not a statistical sample. No defect slips through for having fallen outside the sampling plan.
What it is measured against
Written criteria
Acceptance criteria are agreed in writing before we start. The outcome does not depend on whichever inspector happened to be on shift.
Every finding is documented with photographic evidence and classified as critical, major or minor. See the report you receive.
The deliverable
What does the client receive?
A quality audit report, delivered digitally, with everything needed to make a decision on the lot — and to back it up with your buyer.
Every lot leaves identified with its result
Inspected lot details
Quantity inspected
Defects found
Defect classification: critical, major and minor
Photographic evidence
Defect percentage
Audit result
Recommendations and corrective actions
Defect classification
Critical
Compromises safety or makes the product unusable. Direct rejection of the lot.
Major
Affects function, durability or appearance in a way the end consumer will notice.
Minor
Slight deviation from specification, with no impact on function or saleability.
Expertise
The whole western boot process
We do not inspect generic footwear. We cover all seven production stages, and in each one we know which defect to look for and where it tends to appear.
01
Cutting
Leather yield, stretch zones and detection of defects in the hide itself.
02
Stitching
Stitches per inch, thread tension, backstitching and panel joins.
03
Embroidery
Design, density, symmetry between pairs and a clean reverse side.
04
Lasting
Centring on the last, upper tension and counter formation.
05
Sole
Preparation, bonding, pressing and adhesion verification.
06
Heel
Height, nailing, alignment and heel finishing.
07
Finished product
Cleaning, finishing, pair matching, labelling and final packing.
Swipe to see every stage →
Why QAS
We protect your brand
A defect caught in the plant costs a fraction of what it costs caught in the buyer's warehouse — and a far smaller fraction than what it costs when the end consumer catches it.
We protect your brand
Everything that leaves your plant carries your name. We verify that it deserves to.
01
We protect your brand
A defective lot that reaches the end consumer does not just cost you the return: it costs the reputation you spent years building. Every audit exists so that does not happen.
02
Specific experience in western boots
We do not inspect footwear in general. We know the defects particular to western boots and where they show up.
03
Inspections with defined criteria
Every audit starts from criteria agreed in writing before we begin. Nothing is left to interpretation.
04
Defects caught before shipment
The problem is found in the plant, not in the customer's warehouse. That is where fixing it is still cheap.
05
Clear, professional reports
Documents that read well and can be handed to the buyer as they are, with no need to translate them.
06
Preventive approach
The goal is not only to pull out bad product, but to stop it being produced.
07
Photographic evidence
Every finding is documented with a photo. The conversation with the supplier stops being one person's word against another's.
08
Corrective action follow-up
We do not close at the finding: we verify the correction was implemented and that it works.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What manufacturers and buyers ask us most often, answered straight.
How much does a quality audit cost?
It depends on three things: the number of pairs, the type of audit and where the plant is. There is no flat rate, because a 300-pair lot and a 5,000-pair lot are not the same job. Send us those details through the quote form and you get a proposal within 24 business hours.
What is the difference between 100% inspection and AQL sampling?
An AQL sampling plan checks a statistical subset and accepts or rejects the whole lot from it. We check every pair. Nothing gets accepted for having fallen outside the sample — which matters when one defective pair reaching the end consumer costs more than the inspection did.
How do you classify a defect as critical, major or minor?
Critical: it compromises safety or makes the product unusable, and the lot is rejected outright. Major: it affects function, durability or appearance in a way the end consumer will notice. Minor: a slight deviation from specification with no impact on function or saleability. The criteria are agreed in writing before the audit starts.
Who sets the acceptance criteria?
You do, with us and — where it applies — with your buyer, always in writing and before the audit begins. That way the result does not depend on the judgement of whichever inspector happens to be on shift.
Do you inspect at my plant?
Yes. The inspection happens where the product is, before it ships, which is the point where a correction is still cheap. We are based in Guanajuato, Mexico.
How long does an inspection take?
It depends on the volume and the type of audit, because we go pair by pair rather than through a sample. We agree the window with you before starting so it fits your shipping date, and we say up front if the date you need is not feasible.
What does the audit report include?
Lot details, quantity inspected, defects found, their classification as critical, major or minor, photographic evidence of each one, the defect percentage, the audit result, and recommendations with corrective actions.
How soon do I get the report?
Within 24 hours of the inspection closing. It is delivered digitally and written so you can pass it to your buyer as it is, with no need to translate it.
What happens if a lot does not pass?
You get the report with every finding documented and classified, so you can decide whether to rework, sort or hold the shipment. We do not close at the finding: we follow up to verify the correction was implemented and that it works.
Can you deal directly with my buyer in the United States?
Yes. We work in English, and the reports are written to be sent to the buyer as they are.
Do you inspect footwear other than western boots?
Our specialisation is western boots, and that is where the value sits: we know the defect particular to each of the seven production stages and where it tends to appear. If your product is a different one, tell us in the quote form and we will say plainly whether we are the right fit.
Quote
Request a quote
Tell us how to reach you and we will come back with a proposal.
