SSIA Creative Cup
Click here to to enter the "Creative Cup" Contest
SSIA is announcing its "Creative Cup" contest. What does that mean? The contest combines the craftsmanship required for the Silver Cup Contest with the creativity to finish the entry in a way that showcases your unique skills and also reflects today’s shoe repair market. We hope to show off both the skill and the creativity in our industry.
Awards and Prizes
Judges will award gold, silver and bronze plaques with cash prizes of $750, $500 and $250 respectively.
All entries will be displayed at SSIA's 119th Annual Convention in New Orleans where members will be invited to vote for their favorite job. The entry with the most votes will receive the People's Choice Award along with a $150 cash prize.
Additional prizes may also be announced.
Who is Eligible?
Shoe repair shop owners and their employees are eligible to participate. Entrants or their employers must be members of SSIA. Cobblers from outside USA and Canada are also eligible to participate.
Click here for SSIA membership information.
Entry Fees
The fee to enter the contest is $100 per entry. One entry per person. However multiple people from the same shop can enter.
Shoes will be displayed at SSIA's 119th Annual Convention in July. If you want your entry returned, you can either pick it up at the end of the show or pay for return shipping after the show.
Rules and Regulations
This contest aligns with the level of modern re-crafting and re-manufacturing that today’s shoe repair professionals are known for. At the same time, it gives entrants room to showcase their personal style and artistic approach. The completed repair will be judged based on the following:
Heel Replacement - Sanding, trimming, breasting angle balance, finish, creativity, and overall appearance
Sole Replacement - Sole width, edge trim, setting, finish, sole thickness, shape, texture, stitching, creativity, and overall appearance. (leather, rubber, Polyurethane, TPU, foam rubber, and other similar sole materials are allowed)
Shank Area – Shape, sole thickness, trimming around heel, creativity, and overall appearance
Bottom Finish – Shape, texture, stitching, creativity, finish
General Appearance – Overall creativity and impression, shape, color, sole thickness, finish
Functionality – Goodyear welt construction (original or converted), meets weight and practicality requirements, structurally sound, wearable, flexes properly
Materials & Creative Name – Complete materials list submitted (SSIA Supplier/wholesaler products preferred), appropriate material selection, creative name reflects the concept
Bonus for Creativity – Judges may award additional points for exceptional creativity
In addition to repair work, entries will be judged for creativity. Unlike the Silver Cup Contest, the judges are not looking for a "like-new" result. They're looking for a "better than new" result that is an expression of your unique creativity.
What to Enter
You must enter one repaired shoe with a new full sole and a new heel. Finishes are at your discretion. All repaired shoes must have Goodyear welts. Others will be disqualified.
The repaired shoe must be the left shoe and submitted with its unrepaired mate. Do not enter new shoes. Shoes not in need of repair will be disqualified.
We discourage blind stitched shoes because this is a category that is judged to see how well the shoe is stitched. A blind stitched shoe will not be counted as stitched.
How to Enter
Entries are due in SSIA’s office by April 30, 2026.
Ship Entries to:
SSIA Creative Cup
Attn: Mitch Lebovic
20 Danada Square West #234
Wheaton, IL 60189
SSIA will keep the winning entries until the conclusion of the 2026 convention so we can display your craftsmanship. No exceptions.
When will awards be announced?
The finalists will be contacted in May 2026 and their names will be announced on the SSIA web site. However, the specific awards will not be revealed to the public, to the judges, to the SSIA board of directors, or to the winners until the awards presentation at the association's 2026 convention. No exceptions.
.