Thirty One Gifts News

Thirty One Gifts Partners with World Vision for Giving Tuesday

Press Release | 11/30/2018

"It has been incredible to watch the partnership between Thirty-One Gifts and World Vision grow and expand over the years," said Jennifer Hawley, Senior Director for Corporate Engagement at World Vision. "We look forward to many more years of working together to help the most vulnerable, wherever they live."

"We're honored to be involved with World Vision for the fifth year in a row," said Wendy Bradshaw, Executive Director of Community Affairs at Thirty-One Gifts. "We've been very pleased to see our products used to assist people who are in need around the world – whether it's survivors of a natural disaster, refugees, or children in poverty. It's our pleasure to help more individuals and families in need everywhere through our donation match. We are hopeful many people will double their donation through this match on Giving Tuesday."

This is the fifth year the two organizations have partnered together on Giving Tuesday to spread generosity during the holiday season. Since this partnership first formed in 2014 , Thirty-One Gifts has donated over $39 million in products and cash to the humanitarian organization.

Thirty One is Sharing Its Mission with Diverse Populations

Press Release | 10/14/2018

Thirty-One’s mission is to celebrate, encourage and reward others for who they are, and to provide women with a fulfilling, enjoyable and rewarding experience. The company is working to share its mission with all ethnicities of its 61,000 sales consultants, and to welcome, support and empower more women from Latina and African American backgrounds.

Thirty-One initiated its outreach at the request of their existing sales field, and is providing the tools and support they need to mentor, communicate and serve diverse individuals.

Thirty-One Gifts was founded in 2003 by Cindy Monroe, and today is one of the world’s largest direct-selling organizations, with a sales field throughout the U.S. and its five territories, and Canada. The name Thirty-One comes from Proverbs 31, of the Bible, which describes the attributes and importance of a “virtuous woman.” Their product line includes purses, totes, home organization and décor, travel bags, baby bags, crafting organization and more, sold via their independent sales consultants at home parties and online.

“The Thirty-One sisterhood has grown beyond any of our wildest dreams,” said Monroe. “All of us are so grateful to be part of a community of strong women who share our vision and our values. We welcome women from all walks of life, and I’m thrilled we’re making the opportunity to own your own business available to even more women. I’m honored to welcome women with diverse backgrounds from across the U.S. and Canada into our sisterhood, and to help them reach their full potential.”

Latina Outreach

Thirty-One believes their mission, values and culture align closely with the strong faith and family values, commitment to community, and importance of personal relationships of Latinas. Both honor and celebrate strong women with serving hearts as well.

“We are connected both socially and technologically, with a focus on family first and close relationships.” said Claudia Barcelo, director of multicultural business initiatives. “Additionally, Latina women are leading an entrepreneurial boom, with Latinas outpacing the total U.S. for new business creation, and many prefer to be their own boss.”

Barcelo is leading the outreach to Latinas. She is a Mexico City native, Spanish-speaking, and has extensive experience in the network marketing field, having led tens of thousands of independent sales consultants with two other direct-selling companies, focusing on growth in the U. S. and Puerto Rico.

“We want to grow our collaborative, supportive and respectful sisterhood with Latina women,” said Barcelo. “We recognize that cultural identity is beyond the Spanish language; it’s a heritage and cultural connection, and we’re uniting with authentic outreach and relationship building. In our business, we know relationships make all the difference.”

By speaking with Latinas, and being a part of their community and culture, Thirty-One has opened the reach of their sisterhood by providing leadership, support and tools to assist a Spanish-speaking sales field. The company has established a complete website in Spanish, and has created sales materials – videos, an intranet for sales consultants, printed collateral and catalogs, training materials, a new enrollment kit and more – in Spanish. Their call center, which provides support to customers and sales consultants, is staffed with bilingual Spanish-speaking representatives as well.

These tools support both new consultants and existing Spanish-speaking sales people to grow their businesses and support themselves and their families. Thirty-One’s Latina sales leaders have been asking the company to offer more materials in Spanish so they may grow their sales teams and communicate with their teams and customers more effectively.

“Our new Spanish-language materials enable us to reach out to the person who wasn’t interested before because of the language barrier with either herself, or her potential customer base,” said Barcelo. “We’re in a much better position now to support the busy mom who could use extra income, girlfriends who want to get together for some quality time, and our current customers who love our products and prints but are challenged with the language.”

African American Outreach

Thirty-One is bringing their opportunity to African American women through an organic outreach that meets them where they live, work and play.

“Like Thirty-One, our culture is firmly founded on family, faith and community,” said Kenny Hampton, business development manager. “We’re meeting her where she is – at events, sorority gatherings, churches, and historically black colleges and universities. Women are looking for this opportunity, and it can change lives.”

“We have the sales consultant support and tools she needs, and we provide high-quality products that are easy for her to sell,” said Hampton. “We’re working through our active sales consultants to reach out to women in new urban markets like Atlanta, Memphis and Houston, where we can help them connect with local women. This empowers them to grow their customer base, grow their sales teams, and promote into leadership positions."

Hampton is pleased and encouraged about the direction the company is taking and excited to be able to expand the Thirty-One opportunity to more African Americans.

“This really fills my cup,” he said. “We’re connecting one community with another similar community of women. We’re just writing a new chapter in our story. Together, we’ll build it.”

Thirty One Gifts Launches Baby Product Line

Press Release | 4/7/2018

With these baby shower events, Thirty-One Gifts aims to help mothers and families at a difficult time by providing them with much-needed necessities – some they potentially didn't have time to get before their baby was born – in preparation for taking home their healthier newborn in the near future.

"The importance of community and giving back is central to who we are and the culture we foster among our employees and network of more than 63,000 consultants," said Cindy Monroe, Thirty-One Gifts founder and CEO. "We are proud of the work that's gone in to creating the incredibly fun and functional Baby by Thirty-One line. It's an honor to launch it during our 15th Anniversary Celebration Tour with the tour's many community give-back events, planned together with nonprofit organizations we support."

About Baby by Thirty-One:

Thirty-One's bags have been popular among parents for years, having been named the Best Diaper Bag two years in a row by Baby Center. However, Baby by Thirty-One now provides customers a more diverse range of options with the brand's first-ever full line of bags designed specifically for parents and kids.

Baby by Thirty-One is a line of four diaper bags and four accessory bags and thermals, and seven nursery décor products in 13 prints, as well as eight new baby personalization options. The collection makes the parenting journey easier, and helps to create a comforting, cozy space for a little one – so that families can enjoy every moment together.

Thirty-One's new baby-friendly personalization options can also make these products a giftable keepsake for anyone attending a baby shower, celebrating a birth, or customizing a nursery with one of many new designs.

Thirty-One Gifts Begins Nationwide Tour

Press Release | 1/24/2018

With a theme entitled “The life you love is in the bag,” the Thirty-One Gifts Celebration Tour will visit 69 cities for one or two days each. At each stop Thirty-One will give away an organizing utility tote to the first 50 guests (18 and older). There also will be prize drawings with $100 worth of products awarded to five guests daily, and everyone who visits the shop will receive a gift.

Anyone may attend and admission is free. The tour begins January 23 at Laguna Hills, California, and traverses the country until making a final stop July 21-23 at Columbus, Ohio, the company’s headquarters and location of Thirty-One’s annual conference for their sales field.

The shop comprises a 26-foot-long trailer pulled by a truck and is ADA accessible. Both the trailer and truck are painted in Thirty-One’s bright pink logo color and 15th anniversary branding. The trailer walls hinge open to accommodate visitors and create a store-like space. Guests may see products up close and place orders to buy products.

“We’re celebrating our 15-year success with our customers nationwide,” said Cindy Monroe, Thirty-One Gifts founder and CEO. “With their help, we’ve become one of the largest direct-selling organizations in the world and we want to thank them, share gifts and host them at our shop in person. We look forward to meeting our customers and sharing our products and mission with those who don’t know us, and talking with women who are considering self-employment through direct selling.”

Giving back is fundamental to Thirty-One, and through their charitable initiative, Thirty-One Gives, they work to empower girls, women and families to lead purposeful, thriving lives. Since 2012, Thirty-One Gives has donated $100 million in products and cash to charitable organizations that share their mission.

The company will include it’s give-back mission through the celebration tour as well. Throughout the tour, community service projects will be conducted, working with Thirty-One Gives’ nonprofit partners. Projects will be conducted for World Vision, Kids In Need Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Operation Homefront, and Girls on the Run, providing engagement opportunities for guests to support the organizations. Activities include preparing hope kits – Thirty-One bags filled with personal hygiene products – for women in need; teacher shopping days where teachers fill Thirty-One bags with free supplies for students; baby showers for families whose babies are in neonatal intensive care units; and more.

Thirty-One Gifts Donates to Hurricane Victims

Press Release | 11/8/2017

"In many ways, this has been an unprecedented year for natural disasters," said Jennifer Hawley, Senior Director for Corporate Engagement at World Vision. "Through a generous partnership with Thirty-One Gifts, we will be able to bring emergency relief items to thousands of children and families in the United States and around the world who have lost nearly everything."

Any donation to World Vision on Giving Tuesday will have twice the impact, thanks to the partnership with Thirty-One Gifts. For every donation to World Vision on that day, Thirty-One Gifts will provide up to $1 million in backpacks, apparel, and bags to help women and children in need here in the United States and around the world.

"We're honored to be involved with World Vision for the fourth year in a row," said Wendy Bradshaw, Executive Director of Community Affairs at Thirty-One Gifts. "We've been very pleased to see our products used to assist people in need during recent disasters, and we've seen how World Vision is onsite immediately to help people when they need it the most. It's our pleasure to help them further their impact and help more individuals and families in need everywhere through our donation match. We are hopeful many people will double their donation through this match on Giving Tuesday."

This is the fourth year the two organizations have partnered together on Giving Tuesday to spread generosity during the holiday season. Since this partnership first formed in 2013, Thirty-One Gifts has donated more than $4.7 million to the humanitarian organization.

Thirty One Gifts Offers Holiday Products That Give Back

Press Release | 11/4/2016

Thirty-One’s gift guide includes special holiday products with new holiday personalization on items such as pillows, aprons, totes, travel bags, gift bags and more. Many are offered only during the holidays and some are the company’s most popular items, offered now in holiday prints.

“Giving is part of who we are,” said Cindy Monroe, founder, president and CEO, “which is why we’re proud to partner with nonprofit organizations that align with our mission. Our donations of cash and products will directly empower women, girls and families to live a thriving, purposeful life. Every purchase this holiday season and throughout the year will help impact the lives of many girls, women and families.”

Thirty-One founded a philanthropic initiative called Thirty-One Gives in 2012 and since that date they’ve donated more than $90 million in cash and products to nonprofit organizations that share their mission.

Thirty-One also has partnered with national nonprofit organizations such as Ronald McDonald House Charities, where every family receives a Thirty-One tote; World Vision, providing products for health care workers in underserved countries; Girls on the Run and Girl Talk organizations providing programs that empower girls and build self-esteem; and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where Thirty-One has committed to provide funds for research and treatment for girls’ behavioral health issues.

The company chooses its national philanthropic partners based on their proximity to its international sales field so they have opportunities to volunteer and donate to those charities on a local level. Many of the company’s 85,000+ sales consultants are inspired to give back and they frequently coordinate donations of Thirty-One totes full of necessities for hospital patients, women in shelters and others in need. It is customary for Thirty-One, when filling totes with personal products, to also include a hand-written note of encouragement for the recipient of the donation.

Thirty-One Gifts Sponsoring Girls on the Run Campaign

Press Release | 2/16/2016

Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development (PA-PYD) program that inspires girls in 3rd through 8th grade to be healthy, joyful and confident. The volunteer-led program brings together groups of 8-15 girls and empowers them to recognize their unique abilities and be proud of who they are.

Thirty-One Gifts is a direct-selling organization offering purses, wallets, totes, home organization solutions, jewelry and more. The company is about more than their products, however, and has a strong passion for building confident girls and women.

"We're thrilled to partner with Girls on the Run as the official sponsor of the Born to Run campaign in 2016, in honor of their serving 1 million girls in the past 20 years," says Thirty-One's Founder, President & CEO Cindy Monroe. "Building confident girls and women is at the heart of what we do. Through our charitable program, Thirty-One Gives, we have a commitment to changing the alarming statistic that a girl's self-esteem peaks at the age of 9 and we believe that, with Girls on the Run, we can change that statistic."

Through Thirty-One Gives, the company strives to empower girls, women and families with the support and self-esteem needed to lead purposeful, thriving lives. In supporting Girls on the Run, Thirty-One Gifts will be helping to directly impact girls in 49 states and the District of Columbia.

"Girls on the Run has helped over one million girls to grow their confidence, develop stronger character and build more connection within their community. The ten-week program provides a positive environment where girls can feel comfortable to share their thoughts and feelings and to embrace what makes them unique," says Girls on the Run Vice President of Partnerships and Development Theresa Miller. "Thirty-One Gifts also has a long history of encouraging women to achieve their limitless potential. We're excited to team up with Thirty-One Gifts and grateful for their support in inspiring strong girls."

Through the partnership, Thirty-One Gifts independent sales consultants will serve as 5k volunteers and will provide other activations at 5k events. Girls on the Run hosts the largest 5k series in the country with over 350 separate events in 2015. The celebratory 5k events serve as a tangible goal for the girls participating in the program and are the culminating event to recognize the hard work they put in during the season.

Thirty-One Gifts Doubles Impact of All World Vision Donations

Press Release | 11/24/2015

In the midst of the retail frenzy following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday provides an opportunity to go from "gimme, gimme" to giving back, making a difference in the lives of others by focusing on charitable giving.

"We're a company with a mission to empower and support women and families," said Thirty-One Gifts President, Founder and CEO Cindy Monroe. "This partnership is a great opportunity to share our hearts and mission to give women the opportunity for a better life, to impact families in need, and further the reach of World Vision."

"We are thrilled to partner with Thirty-One Gifts to make an even bigger impact in the lives of those we serve around the world," said Deborah Johns, World Vision's director of community engagement. "Items like blankets from this generous donation will help new mothers in Somalia keep their babies warm and dry, and tote bags and clothing will be given to refugees in Armenia who have escaped the Syrian conflict."

Earlier this year, World Vision distributed Thirty-One Gifts utility totes to volunteer health educators like Renathe in Burundi and blankets to new mothers in Somalia who used them as receiving blankets for their babies.

In Burundi, when malnourished children are discharged from intensive feeding centers, these local volunteers travel around to the homes to visit the children and monitor their health and progress. Before receiving the Thirty-One Gifts totes, the volunteers had to carry all their materials and equipment by hand and materials would often get dirty or wet when it rained. These colorful bags help keep the teaching materials clean and make it easier for the women to visit each home.

Products donated to World Vision on Giving Tuesday through this partnership will be shared with communities in need so that women like Renathe are able to continue the important education they are providing.

Thirty One Announces Expansion into More Canadian Provinces

Press Release | 3/28/2015

"We're expanding further into Canada, thanks to the amazing growth and success we've experienced so far in Ontario and Alberta," said Thirty-One Founder, President and CEO Cindy Monroe.

Thirty-One was founded in 2003 and began selling in Ontario, Canada, in 2012. In February this year they expanded into Alberta, Canada. There are now 99,509 independent sales consultants in the U.S. and 3,050 in Canada, for a total of 102,559.

The company will offer its entire product line, including personalized home organization products and totes, its new Jewell by Thirty-One line of premium faux leather purses and wallets, and a new line of artisan jewelry called JK by Thirty-One.

"We've been very well-received in Alberta," said Christina Snyder, vice president of new market development at Thirty-One. "We moved into Alberta because of their strong economy, and we already had a great deal of interest from women there who wanted to join us. On our first day, we had nearly 300 women join Thirty-One as independent sales consultants. After just one month there, we already have 689 active sales consultants in Alberta."

Snyder explains the company has been cautious about moving into Canada, and took time to build relationships and establish a brand identity in Ontario, which has by far the largest population. They are building on the leadership developed in that area and relationships to build the brand in other provinces.

"We were created to give women an opportunity to own their own business and earn extra income," said Snyder. "Independent consultants may work as much or as little as they wish, and many women in Canada are now exploring the Thirty-One opportunity and finding a fulfilling, enjoyable way to supplement income," said Snyder.

Thirty-One Gifts Announces Expansion into Alberta

Press Release | 2/11/2015

Thirty-One is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, and operates throughout the entire U.S. and has been operating in Ontario, Canada, since September 2012. Since 2013 they have doubled the size of their field and in the United States there are more than 100,000 consultants.

Thirty-One is moving into Alberta after expanding into Ontario, where it has been able to establish the brand and build relationships over the past two years.

“We were purposeful about keeping to a single Canadian province for a period of time in order to thoughtfully introduce our brand and values to a new country,” said Thirty-One Founder, President and CEO Cindy Monroe. “Our business is about relationships and we’ve spent time focusing on building those relationships in Ontario, creating a strong foundation for growth and success as we expand into Alberta. Those relationships will help our new Thirty-One sales consultants in Alberta start their new business strong.”

Thirty-One chose Alberta as its second Canadian province in which to operate because of the strong economy in Alberta, and a great deal of interest from Alberta residents interested in becoming Thirty-One Gifts independent sales consultants.

“We see a strong leadership base in Alberta,” said Christina Snyder, vice president of new market development at Thirty-One. “We have a wait list of people who are interested in the Thirty-One opportunity there and are thrilled to be able to begin offering the opportunity to ‘her’ and working in that market.”

To introduce the Thirty-One opportunity, Snyder plans to hold two events in Alberta called Opportunity Nights for interested residents. The events will be February 10 and 11 in Calgary. Those interested in becoming Thirty-One consultants may enroll at the events or via the Thirty-One Canadian website by locating an existing consultant to join her team in Ontario.

“We’re going to show them we truly are a relationship company and we care about women having a fulfilling, enjoyable way to earn extra income,” said Snyder.

Thirty-One Gifts Acquires Jewel Kade

Press Release | 12/14/2014

Thirty-One Gifts is a Columbus, Ohio, based direct seller offering stylish and functional purses and totes, home organization solutions and much more, most of which can be personalized.

Jewel Kade, which creates and markets handcrafted jewelry in Alpine, Utah, was founded in 2009 by Janet Kinkade and quickly grew into a national brand.

“Talk about a match made in heaven,” Monroe said. “These are two entrepreneurial companies that were launched in basements by women with the same vision: to create opportunities for women with families and empower them to succeed on their own terms.”

“I knew this was a good fit,” Kinkade said. “We share a lot of core values that center around the family, faith and philanthropy, and we bring our personalized products to market in the same fashion. We’ll be expanding the product offerings for all our consultants and stylists, which can only lead to greater success.”

Kinkade, a mother of five, launched Jewel Kade in 2009 after demand for her artisan designs began to escalate. Since then, her work has been featured on “The Today Show,” “Ellen” and “American Idol.” With the acquisition complete, she will remain the principal jewelry designer for JK by Thirty-One.

Jewel Kade’s network of 1,500 stylists from around the country will be invited to join the Thirty-One Gifts selling team with over 109,000 consultants in the U.S. and Canada.

The JK by Thirty-One line of giftable jewelry will be introduced in spring 2015 and will be sold alongside Thirty-One’s popular bags, totes and accessories at hosted parties.

This is the second major acquisition by Thirty-One, having recently acquired Columbus-based direct selling company Jewell, which markets handbags and accessories. Twelve Jewell products will be offered in Thirty-One’s spring/summer catalog beginning December 30, including Jewell’s premium faux leather handbags, totes, pockets, and wallets.