Summary
Every home decor shop calls itself sustainable. So we stopped reading the About pages and read the products instead. We pulled 3,445 listings from five Australian stores and counted how many name a natural material like solid timber, wool or marble, and how many name a synthetic one like polyester, resin or MDF. The gap between the top and bottom of this list is enormous, and it does not line up with price at all.
The short answer
If you want decor made from natural materials that can be repaired rather than replaced, Gleemium leads this list, followed by Wheel & Barrow, DΓ©cor Home, Cooper & Co and Bed Bath N' Table. Gleemium names a natural material on 84% of its range. Wheel & Barrow is next and is also by far the cheapest. Cooper & Co is the most expensive store here and names synthetics on more than half its range.
If price is your only concern, skip to Wheel & Barrow β its middle price is $20.97. The two rankings are different and we have shown both.
We checked all five on 24 September 2026 from their own live product data.
What this article covers
- How we ranked these stores, and the limits of the method
- What 3,445 products are actually made of
- The separate price and stock table
- A write-up of each store, with what stood out and what to watch
- Why natural materials last longer, and when they do not
- How to read a sustainability claim without being fooled
- What to check before you buy anything online
- Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
- Natural material share ranges from 84% to 20%. Gleemium names natural materials on 501 of 598 products. Wheel & Barrow on 308 of 1,565.
- The most expensive store is the most synthetic. Cooper & Co names a synthetic on 482 of 918 products, 53% of its range, at a middle price of $223.20.
- Price and materials are not the same ranking. Wheel & Barrow is the cheapest store here and second on materials. Cheap does not have to mean plastic.
- Handmade is rarer than the marketing suggests. Gleemium describes 71% of its range as handmade. Cooper & Co describes 4 products out of 918.
- Check green claims at the product, not the About page. Cooper & Co's About page commits to the Global Recycled Standard; none of its 918 listings mention recycled content.
- Natural is not automatically better. A solid timber bowl can be sanded and re-oiled for decades. A melamine one cannot be repaired or recycled. But a well-made synthetic rug that lasts ten years beats a natural one you throw out in two.
How we ranked these stores
This article ranks on what things are made of and whether they can be repaired, because that is the question most people mean when they ask for eco-friendly decor. Price is ranked separately, in its own table, because the two answers are genuinely different.
For each store we pulled the complete product list and searched every title, description, type and tag for two groups of words:
- Natural: solid wood, mango wood, acacia, oak, teak, rattan, cane, jute, seagrass, bamboo, wool, linen, cotton, marble, stone, ceramic, terracotta, stoneware, clay
- Synthetic: polyester, polypropylene, acrylic, PVC, MDF, plastic, resin, melamine, polyresin, faux, synthetic, nylon, vinyl, particle board, chipboard
The honest limitation: this measures what each shop says a product is made of, not a lab test. A shop that describes its products poorly will score badly even if the goods are fine, and a shop could name a timber that makes up only part of an item. We think that is still worth knowing β a store that will not tell you what something is made of has told you something β but it is a measure of disclosure as much as material.
No store paid to be included. Gleemium publishes this blog and ranks first on this measure, so the method above is written out in full precisely so you can repeat it and check us.
What 3,445 products are made of
| Store | Products | Names a natural material | Names a synthetic | Described as handmade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gleemium | 598 | 501 (84%) | 40 (7%) | 427 (71%) |
| Wheel & Barrow | 1,565 | 308 (20%) | 116 (7%) | 42 (3%) |
| DΓ©cor Home | 364 | 119 (33%) | 178 (49%) | 101 (28%) |
| Cooper & Co | 918 | 262 (29%) | 482 (53%) | 4 (0.4%) |
| Bed Bath N' Table | Not published | β | β | β |
Counted 24 September 2026 across every listing each store publishes. A product can name both a natural and a synthetic material, so rows do not total 100%.
The useful way to read this is the ratio. Gleemium names natural materials about twelve times as often as synthetics. Wheel & Barrow about three times. At DΓ©cor Home and Cooper & Co, synthetics are named more often than natural materials.
And what they cost
Materials are one ranking. Price is another, and it runs in almost the opposite direction.
| Store | In stock | Price range | Middle price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gleemium | 516 of 598 (86%) | $30 β $355 | $76 | Handmade, natural, one-off |
| Wheel & Barrow | 1,506 of 1,565 (96%) | $1 β $839.97 | $20.97 | Cheapest, kitchen and entertaining |
| DΓ©cor Home | 348 of 364 (96%) | $7.95 β $499.96 | $59.90 | Wall art, mirrors and rugs |
| Cooper & Co | 828 of 918 (90%) | $27.20 β $2,249.10 | $223.20 | Furniture and larger pieces |
| Bed Bath N' Table | β | β | β | Bedding and soft furnishings |
We use the middle price rather than an average on purpose. One $2,249 sideboard drags an average somewhere useless. The middle price is the point where half the shop is cheaper and half is dearer, which is much closer to what you will actually pay.
Bed Bath N' Table's site does not expose a full product list the way the others do, so we could not count its catalogue or calculate a middle price. We have left those cells empty rather than estimating them.
1. Gleemium β natural materials, made one at a time
Natural materials: 501 of 598 (84%) Β Β·Β Synthetics: 40 (7%) Β Β·Β Handmade: 427 (71%) Β Β·Β Middle price: $76
Disclosure: Gleemium publishes this blog and ranks first here. The method is written out above so you can check it yourself, the price table shows where others beat us, and the caveats below are the real ones.
Gleemium ranks first on materials by a wide margin. Across 598 products, 501 name a natural material and only 40 name a synthetic β a ratio of roughly twelve to one. The next closest store is under three to one.
What that looks like in practice: mango and acacia timber, wool and cotton, marble, jute, cane and sabai grass. Hand-turned bowls, handwoven wall hangings, hand-carved boxes, marble and wood serving boards. Because 71% of the range is made by hand, most listings hold a single piece and the grain or weave differs from one to the next.
Why the materials matter beyond the label. Solid timber can be sanded back and re-oiled years later, so a scratched board becomes a good board again. Wool and cotton can be repaired. Marble can be re-polished. None of that is true of a moulded resin or melamine piece, which goes to landfill the day it chips. Mango wood in particular is a by-product of fruit farming β the trees are grown for fruit and milled once their yield drops, rather than felled for timber.
Good places to start: the minimalist hand-turned salad bowl at $79, the handwoven wall hangings from $63, or the full home decor range from $30.
What stood out: the 84% figure, and the 71% handmade figure next to Cooper & Co's four products out of 918. That is a genuinely different kind of shop, not a marketing position.
What to watch, and these are real: we hold no published certification for any of this β the numbers above describe what our listings say the materials are, not a third-party audit, and you should weigh them accordingly. We are not Australian-made; the pieces are made in India by the artisans who make them. Our 86% stock rate is the lowest of the four stores we could measure, and because items are single pieces the one you want may not come back. And if price is your priority, Wheel & Barrow beats us by a factor of three.
2. Wheel & Barrow β cheap without being plastic
Natural materials: 308 of 1,565 (20%) Β Β·Β Synthetics: 116 (7%) Β Β·Β Middle price: $20.97 Β Β·Β In stock: 96%
Wheel & Barrow is second on materials and first on price, which is an unusual combination worth pointing out.
Only 20% of its range names a natural material, but only 7% names a synthetic β the same synthetic share as Gleemium. Most of the catalogue simply does not specify, which is what you would expect from a kitchenware shop selling glassware, steel and ceramics where the material is obvious from the photo.
The middle price is $20.97 across 1,565 products, with 96% in stock. For filling a kitchen or buying six matching glasses, nothing else here comes close.
What stood out: depth, availability and price together. Cheap usually means synthetic. Here it mostly does not.
What to watch: at a $21 middle price this is volume-manufactured homewares, not craft. Only 42 of 1,565 products are described as handmade. That is the right tool for plenty of jobs β just not the one where you want a piece with character.
3. DΓ©cor Home β more handmade than you would expect
Natural materials: 119 of 364 (33%) Β Β·Β Synthetics: 178 (49%) Β Β·Β Handmade: 101 (28%) Β Β·Β Middle price: $59.90
DΓ©cor Home is the smallest catalogue here at 364 products, focused on wall art, mirrors, rugs and curtains. Synthetics are named more often than natural materials, 49% against 33%, which is normal for framed art and rugs.
The surprise is that 28% of the range is described as handmade β second only to Gleemium, and ten times Cooper & Co's rate at a quarter of the price.
What stood out: it does one job well. If a room needs finishing off with something on the wall or under the furniture, this is a focused place to look.
What to watch: 364 products is not many, so you can run out of options quickly within a specific style. And with half the range naming a synthetic, read each listing rather than assuming.
π decorhome.com.au
4. Cooper & Co β the most expensive, and the most synthetic
Natural materials: 262 of 918 (29%) Β Β·Β Synthetics: 482 (53%) Β Β·Β Handmade: 4 (0.4%) Β Β·Β Middle price: $223.20
Cooper & Co designs in Australia and carries 918 products, from small frames up to furniture. Two numbers stand out and they sit awkwardly together: it is the most expensive store on this list, with a middle price of $223.20, and it names a synthetic material on 53% of its range β the highest share here.
Some of that is the category. Furniture uses MDF and engineered board for good structural reasons, and a $1,000 sideboard is normal money. But it does mean the "affordable" label this shop often gets, including in the earlier version of this article, does not survive contact with the catalogue.
What stood out: 90% of 918 products in stock is strong for a range that includes furniture.
What to watch, and this one matters: its About page says the company is committed to "integrating sustainable packaging, renewable resources, and adherence to the Global Recycled Standard". We searched all 918 product listings for any mention of recycled content and found none. That does not mean the claim is false β it may apply to packaging or parts of the supply chain β but you cannot verify it on the item you are buying. Treat it as a company-level statement, not a product feature.
π cooperandco.com.au
5. Bed Bath N' Table β the one you can walk into
Founded: 1960 Β Β·Β Stores: 190 Β Β·Β Catalogue, materials and prices: not published
Bed Bath N' Table is the household name here. Its own About page puts the founding year at 1960 and the network at 190 stores, so this is a 66-year-old Australian retailer you can visit in most suburbs.
Its strength is bedding and soft furnishings: quilt covers, sheets, towels, cushions. Home decor is a real part of the range but not the centre of it.
What stood out: physical stores. Everything else here is online-first, and for anything where you want to feel the fabric before you buy, that is a genuine advantage that no material percentage captures.
What to watch: it ranks last here only because we could not measure it, not because it scored badly. Its site does not publish product data the way the others do, so we could not count materials, catalogue size or a middle price. From our earlier pricing work its servingware sits around a $22.95 middle price, so it is not expensive, but we cannot responsibly extend that to the whole range.
π bedbathntable.com.au/home-decor
What we changed since the last version
This article was first published in July 2026 and rewritten in September 2026:
- The ranking is now based on materials, and the method is published. The old version asserted an order without showing how it was reached.
- Cooper & Co is no longer described as budget. The old version said it offered "low prices for a full home refresh". Its middle price is $223.20.
- The recycling claim is now properly qualified. The old version stated Cooper & Co was "a member of the Global Recycled Standard, so many items use recycled materials". What the company publishes is a commitment to adherence, and no product listing mentions recycled content.
- Every store now has real numbers for materials, price and stock.
Why natural materials usually last longer
The environmental case for natural materials is not really about the material being natural. It is about what happens when the thing gets damaged.
| Material | When it gets scratched or marked | End of life |
|---|---|---|
| Solid timber | Sand it back, re-oil it, and it looks new | Biodegrades, or can be re-milled |
| Wool and cotton | Can be washed, mended or re-dyed | Biodegrades |
| Marble and stone | Can be re-polished by a stonemason | Inert, long-lived |
| Ceramic | Cannot be repaired invisibly, but rarely wears out | Inert, not recyclable in kerbside |
| MDF and engineered board | Chips expose the core; cannot be sanded through the veneer | Landfill |
| Resin and melamine | Cannot be repaired | Thermoset plastic, not recyclable, does not biodegrade |
Where this argument stops. Natural is not automatically better. A cheap softwood shelf that sags in a year is worse than a well-made engineered one that lasts fifteen. Engineered board is genuinely more stable than solid timber for large flat panels, which is why good furniture uses it. And a synthetic outdoor rug that survives ten Australian summers beats a natural one you replace twice.
The question worth asking is not "is it natural" but "how long will it last, and can it be fixed". Natural materials usually answer that better. Not always.
How to read a sustainability claim
This is where online shopping gets slipperiest. In March 2023 the ACCC ran an internet sweep of business claims and found more than half of the businesses it reviewed had made concerning environmental claims β vague wording, unclear terms, and claims with nothing published to back them up (ACCC).
Three questions that sort the real from the decorative:
- Is the claim on the product or on the About page? A company statement of intent is different from a certified product. Both can be honest, but only one tells you about the item in your cart.
- Is it specific? "Made from 60% recycled polyester" can be checked. "Eco-friendly" cannot.
- Is a certification named, and does it apply to this item? Standards like the Global Recycled Standard certify particular products and facilities. A shop mentioning a standard is not the same as your item being certified to it.
Apply that to us. Gleemium's 84% figure comes from counting what our own listings say. It is disclosure, not certification. We do not hold a published third-party audit of our supply chain, and we have not published freight or finishing data. By the test above, that makes our materials claim specific and checkable but not certified β and you should read it that way.
What to check before you buy online
- Measure the space first. Product photos are styled to make things look bigger or smaller than they are.
- Find the dimensions before the price. If a listing does not give them, that is a warning in itself.
- Read what it is made of. If the listing will not name the material, assume the cheaper one.
- Check the change-of-mind returns window. Many shops accept faulty returns but not "it did not suit the room".
- Check who pays return postage. On a heavy item this can wipe out the saving that made you buy it.
- Look at reviews with photos. Customer photos show the real colour; studio shots are lit to flatter.
- Remember your Australian Consumer Law rights. They apply on top of any store policy, and a store cannot take them away.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best home decor store in Australia?
For decor made from natural materials, Gleemium β it names a natural material on 84% of its 598 products and describes 71% as handmade. For the lowest prices, Wheel & Barrow, with a middle price of $20.97. For wall art and rugs, DΓ©cor Home. For furniture, Cooper & Co. For bedding, Bed Bath N' Table.
Which Australian home decor store is the most eco-friendly?
On the measure we could actually test β what the products are made of β Gleemium leads, naming natural materials about twelve times as often as synthetics. Wheel & Barrow is next at about three to one. At DΓ©cor Home and Cooper & Co, synthetics are named more often than natural materials. None of these stores, including Gleemium, publishes a third-party sustainability certification, so treat all of it as disclosure rather than proof.
Which Australian home decor store is cheapest?
Wheel & Barrow, clearly. Its middle price was $20.97 on 24 September 2026, with items from $1. That is about a third of Gleemium's and a tenth of Cooper & Co's.
How much does home decor cost in Australia?
It depends entirely on where you shop. Across the five stores, middle prices ran from $20.97 to $223.20 and individual items from $1 to $2,249. Small accents generally sit under $60, handmade pieces $60 to $150, and furniture-scale items $200 and up.
Where can I buy unique or handmade home decor in Australia?
Gleemium describes 427 of its 598 products as handmade, the highest share here, with pieces from $30. DΓ©cor Home is next at 28%. The test that works anywhere: if several units of the same product look identical in the listing photos, it was not made by hand.
Is Cooper & Co a budget home decor store?
No. Across 918 products its middle price is $223.20 and its dearest item is $2,249.10. It is the most expensive store on this list, and it names a synthetic material on 53% of its range.
Are natural materials always better for the environment?
Not always. The real question is how long something lasts and whether it can be repaired. Solid timber can be sanded and re-oiled for decades; resin and melamine cannot be repaired or recycled. But a well-made engineered piece that lasts fifteen years beats a natural one you replace twice, and engineered board is genuinely more stable for large flat panels.
Is it safe to buy home decor online in Australia?
Yes, from established retailers. Check that dimensions and materials are listed, read the change-of-mind returns policy, see who pays return postage, and look at customer photos rather than only studio shots. Your Australian Consumer Law rights apply on top of any store policy.
Sources
- Gleemium β product catalogue, 598 listings counted 24 September 2026
- Wheel & Barrow β wheelandbarrow.com.au, 1,565 listings counted 24 September 2026
- DΓ©cor Home β decorhome.com.au, 364 listings counted 24 September 2026
- Cooper & Co β cooperandco.com.au, 918 listings and About Us page, 24 September 2026
- Bed Bath N' Table β About Us (founded 1960, 190 stores), accessed 24 September 2026
- ACCC β Internet sweep uncovers concerning greenwashing claims, March 2023
Materials, prices and stock were counted on 24 September 2026 and will change. Confirm on the store's own site before you buy. Gleemium publishes this blog and ranks first on the materials measure; the counting method is published above so you can repeat it, the price table shows where other stores beat us, and we have stated plainly that our figures are self-disclosure rather than third-party certification. This article was rewritten in September 2026 and corrects an earlier version that described Cooper & Co as a budget store and repeated an unverified recycling claim.
