1 1

Illume Connect

Belt Competition – Open Division

Belt Competition – Open Division

$75.00 USD
$75.00 USD
Sale Sold out

Open Belt Competition

Open class is for all leathercrafters.

Each leathercrafter may enter up to three belts(entry feerequired for each entry). The belts must be made within the past 12 months and be in "new" condition.

  • Belts made in or during a training are not allowed.

Online entries are open from July 1st-December 20th, 2025

Three judges will independently and separately score each entry based on a universal score sheet. All contestants will receive their score sheets via email after the show.

Belts must be at the Southwest Leather Masters Competition registration desk at the SOUTH POINT by 5pm Wednesday, January 8th for judging and will remain on display until 5pm Saturday, January 10th.

  • In-person delivery will be Wednesday, January 7th from 9am-5pm.
  • If shipping your belt entry, it must arrive on or before Friday, January 2 to be eligible for judging. Please ship entries to:
    • IllumEvents
      Attn: Savannah
      95 W Main Street
      Salina, UT 84654

If you WILL NOT be present to pick up your entry on Saturday, January 10th at 5pm, please include a RETURN SHIPPING LABEL and any special instructions.

Belts can be for sale during the competition. Contestants are responsible for all sales.

  • IllumEvents Las Vegas will not take any sales commission. 

Rules

Any Style Everyday Belt Accepted: 
Tooled, untooled, lined, unlined, stitched, laced, dyed, painted—all finishing styles welcome as long as the belt is designed for everyday wear (not costume or purely decorative use). 

Width Requirement: 
Belts must be no wider than 1 ¾ inches. Entries exceeding this limit will be disqualified. 

Leather Only Construction: 
Belt must be constructed entirely from leather. Non-leather hardware (buckles, snaps, rivets) is allowed, but no fabric, vinyl, or synthetic materials may be used in the belt body or lining. 

Functional and Wearable: 
Belt must be fully functional, durable, and ready to wear—including a working buckle or closure system. 

Handcrafted Work: 
All belts must be the work of the submitting maker. Use of machines (sewing, burnishing, etc.) is allowed, but mass-manufactured or outsourced belts are not permitted. 

Awards 

The Southwest Leather Masters Competition Awards Ceremony will be held at 4pm on Saturday, January 10th in the IllumEvents Las Vegas tradeshow area. 

Each registered tradeshow attendee will cast one vote towards the People’s Choice Award which will be awarded a prize package. 

Please make sure you understand the rules and guidelines as entry fees are NON-REFUNDABLE. Also be sure to study the judging sheet for a full understanding of what will be judged in the competition.  

View full details