Who is actually walking into an Earthbound Trading Company these days? Picture an eighteen-year-old three weeks from her first dorm move-in, standing in front of a wall of mandala tapestries under the smell of Nag Champa, deciding between a rose-quartz point, a stack of stamped brass rings, and a pair of harem pants that will not survive one wash cycle. That's the customer. Always has been.
And for a long time that was a genuinely good place to be a broke teenager with taste. Where else could you grab a wall hanging, a fistful of sage, a beaded anklet, and a Himalayan salt lamp for under fifty bucks, all under mall fluorescent lights between the Auntie Anne's and the phone-case kiosk?
The trouble is the mall itself. Earthbound lives and dies inside dying anchor-store real estate, and the merchandise increasingly reads like a Spencer's dressed in patchouli — thin rayon that pills, tapestries that fade in a semester, jewelry that greens your finger by finals week. The aesthetic still sells; the execution wobbles.
If you want that same crystals-and-cotton, dorm-wall-worthy feeling without gambling on which store still has its lights on, look at World Market for the imported home side and Society6 for artist-made tapestries that actually hold their color.
The 12 Best Alternatives to Earthbound Trading Company
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World Market
Est. 1958
Alameda, California, USA
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similar
Dorm and apartment decor with a worldly, imported feel
Nails the globally-inspired home side of Earthbound — imported textiles, poufs, string lights, incense and jewelry — with far sturdier goods at a similar price.
Pros
Imported rugs, poufs, and lanterns that outlast Earthbound's
If the whole appeal was covering a bare cinderblock wall for under $30, skip the mall markup. Wayfair moves tapestries, macrame, and salt lamps at the lowest prices, Redbubble sells artist tapestries during its constant sales, and Kohl's coupons stack into genuinely cheap boho basics. All three beat Earthbound on price without dropping the aesthetic.
Actually handmade, not mass-imported
Tired of jewelry that greens your finger and tapestries that fade by finals? Etsy and Ten Thousand Villages sell the real thing — genuine artisan crystals, stamped brass, and hand-loomed textiles. Society6 and Redbubble put money in individual artists' pockets for tapestries that hold their color a lot longer than the mall versions.
Ethical & globally-sourced picks
For shoppers who love the worldly look but want it made responsibly: Ten Thousand Villages runs verified fair-trade artisan partnerships, and Serengetee sources fabrics globally with a give-back model built for the student crowd. Both deliver the imported, hand-touched feel Earthbound only gestures at.
Which Alternative Is Right for You?
Chasing the bohemian look on a real student budget? Wayfair and Redbubble get tapestries and decor onto your wall for less, and Kohl's coupons cover cheap boho apparel. Want the imported home side done better? World Market is the clear pick — sturdier rugs, poufs, and lanterns at similar prices. If you want genuinely handmade crystals and jewelry instead of mall inventory, go straight to Etsy or, for a fair-trade conscience, Ten Thousand Villages. Ready to spend more for clothes that survive the wash? Free People and Anthropologie are the aspirational tier, while Urban Outfitters splits the difference on trend and price. And if the mission matters, Serengetee turns globally-sourced fabric into apparel with a give-back model aimed right at college shoppers.
Frequently Asked Questions
QIs Earthbound Trading Company good quality for the price?
It's inexpensive and the aesthetic is on point, but quality is the main complaint — rayon apparel pills and shrinks, tapestries fade within a semester, and cheaper jewelry can discolor skin. For decor that lasts, World Market and Society6 hold up notably better at comparable or slightly higher prices.
QWhere can I buy boho tapestries that won't fade like Earthbound's?
Society6 and Redbubble sell artist-designed tapestries with better print durability, and Etsy has hand-loomed options direct from makers. World Market also carries heavier woven textiles that outlast the thin mall versions.
QWhat store is like Earthbound but ethical or fair-trade?
Ten Thousand Villages is the strongest ethical match, with verified fair-trade artisan partnerships across textiles, jewelry, and home goods. Serengetee is another, sourcing fabrics globally with a give-back model, and Etsy lets you buy directly from independent makers.
QIs there a cheaper alternative to Earthbound for dorm decor?
Yes. Wayfair sells tapestries, macrame, and salt lamps at the lowest prices, Redbubble runs frequent site-wide discounts on artist wall art, and Kohl's coupons make boho apparel and decor genuinely cheap.
QNow that Earthbound stores are closing in malls, where should I shop instead?
With Earthbound tied to shrinking mall real estate, online is the safer bet. World Market and Society6 cover decor, Etsy handles handmade jewelry and crystals, and Urban Outfitters carries the trend-forward apparel — none of which depend on your local mall staying open.
Our Verdict
The Best Earthbound Trading Company Alternative For You
Chasing the bohemian look on a real student budget? Wayfair and Redbubble get tapestries and decor onto your wall for less, and Kohl's coupons cover cheap boho apparel. Want the imported home side done better? World Market is the clear pick — sturdier rugs, poufs, and lanterns at similar prices. If you want genuinely handmade crystals and jewelry instead of mall inventory, go straight to Etsy or, for a fair-trade conscience, Ten Thousand Villages. Ready to spend more for clothes that survive the wash? Free People and Anthropologie are the aspirational tier, while Urban Outfitters splits the difference on trend and price. And if the mission matters, Serengetee turns globally-sourced fabric into apparel with a give-back model aimed right at college shoppers.