Summary: When my little sister moved into her first home and asked for decorating tips, I knew Quince would be the perfect place to shop for affordable, sustainable home decor. 

PROS

  • Quince is budget-friendly! Prices are similar to what you’d find at Zara Home or IKEA.
  • The brand uses sustainable and nontoxic materials, like organic linen and cotton.
  • Shipping is quick and efficient, with orders packaged together in recycled materials. 

CONS

  • Though Quince has sustainability pledges and is transparent about ethics, the brand has scaled significantly since its launch. This raises some questions about overproduction. 
  • Not all of the fabrics are organic or come with nontoxic certifications.

While I’m no interior designer, you can imagine how flattered I was when my baby sister called me earlier this summer to ask for help decorating her new house. She and her husband (and their two pups) moved from a small apartment to their first single-family home with a yard in the suburbs of Dallas. So, of course, she wanted to update her decor. In the past, she would have turned to Target, IKEA, or Zara Home since those places are budget-friendly and a one-stop-shop for kitchen, bath, and living essentials. But as I’m trying to push more of my family to shop sustainability when possible (it can be challenging if you’re on a budget!), I was thrilled to tell her about Quince and the brand’s new home collection.  

If you’re unfamiliar, Quince started as a sustainable fashion company in 2018 and has since expanded to include travel, home, and baby items. The brand uses a factory-direct model to partner with ethical factories and cut out the middleman, making the prices budget-friendly. This allows the brand to cut costs and exercise greater transparency around production. A few of the sustainable highlights I love include Quince’s minimal and compostable packaging, and their use of organic and nontoxic fabrics.

We shopped for three rooms in my sister’s house: Her living room, guest bath, and kitchen. We tried various items to get a feel for the quality and offerings. Keep reading to see what my sister picked out and how we styled it! 

Trying out Quince’s Living Room Collection: 

Heavyweight European Linen Curtain | $90
Materials: European linen and cotton

We started with the most apparent decor necessity: Curtains. With all the windows in my sister’s new home, she desperately wanted to warm up the space by replacing blinds with soft, airy curtain panels. The Heavyweight curtains from Quince are made with premium European linen and then lined with 100% cotton to offer privacy and softer light to filter in, which is perfect for her living space. The heavyweight material gives them a gracefully draped look (no ironing needed!), and the panels have a curtain rod pocket for quick installation. (Because we have other decor to focus on!)

Another thing my sister loves about these curtains is that they can be ordered by the panel and come in three different length/size options. If you need an odd number, you’re not stuck ordering packs of two. You can also get them with a blackout liner, which she plans to do when decorating the bedrooms. 


Neutral Stripe Pillow cover | $70 (set of two)
Materials: Cotton and linen

To add some pattern and color to her living room, we opted for Quince’s stripe pillow covers, which are made from a high-quality linen and cotton blend. The woven stripes are even more sophisticated-looking in person, and the zipper closure made these a breeze to cover my sister’s old throw pillows. She especially loves that she can reverse the fabric (the inside is a sold neutral) to freshen up her space. Note that these are spot clean only, so they are best kept away from the pups, though she does note that they don’t attract dog hair like other fabrics, and she only has to lint roll once a week.


Cotton Fisherman Throw | $80
Materials: 100% cotton

Finally, every living space needs a chunky throw for warmth and coziness! Quince’s Cotton Fisherman Throw offers the ultimate hygge factor and is large enough to drape on the corner of my sister’s grey couch—though she does wish it was a tiny bit bigger! (It’s 50” x 60” for reference). The blanket is yarn-dyed for lasting color and has ribbed edge border detailing. It’s 100% cotton and made at an ethical factory in India. 

While most of Quince’s decor options are neutral in color and design, these blankets also come in terracotta and olive. Though my sister is a neutral gal and chose the Ivory, I also love that they have bolder options. 

Trying out Quince’s Bathroom Collection: 

Turkish Classic Bath Sheet Bundle | $90
Materials: 100% long-staple Turkish cotton

I firmly believe every guest bath needs a set of cozy towels for when guests (ahem, me) come to visit. So, I had a bit of influence over this pick! Quince’s bath towels are so soft and luxurious—they are made with 100% Turkish cotton and are plush enough to feel like hotel quality. Of course, my sister has tested them to make sure they are perfect for guests, and she notes they are incredibly soft and lightweight. They don’t absorb as quickly as thinner towels, but they dry quickly (essential in Texas’s humidity!).

As for the specs, this affordable bundle includes two bath sheet towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths. They are made in Turkey and come in nine neutral colors (my sister went with the grey). 

Organic Turkish Waffle Robe | $50
Materials: 100% organic long-staple Turkish cotton

With over 1000 five-star reviews, we knew we needed to complete my sister’s guest bathroom with a cotton robe! Again, I may have had some sway here since I’ll be borrowing it when I visit, but it truly adds a nice touch to the guest bath space.

This robe is woven from 100% organic long-staple Turkish cotton and is both absorbent and soft. We went with the small in silver, though a medium would likely be best for a unisex option. Oh, and it has pockets!

Trying out Quince’s Kitchen Collection: 

European Linen Gingham Napkins | $30 (set of 4)
Materials: 100% European flax, STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX Certification

Now for the kitchen! I convinced my sister to try a pop of color with these linen gingham napkins. They are made from European flax, yarn-dyed, and garment-washed. Honestly, they look and feel incredibly expensive for the price, and the organic texture is so cute in her Dallas kitchen. She’s already used them for one dinner party, and I hope she’ll put them out on Thanksgiving (someone ping her!). Best of all, they are STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX Certification and made without the use of harmful chemicals or pesticides.

5-Ply Stainless Steel 10 Piece Cookware Set | $400
Materials: Stainless Steel

Last but not least: Cookware. Before moving into her new house, my sister was cooking on cheap Teflon pans that had seen better days, so I knew we needed to upgrade her to something nontoxic and better suited for hosting. Though this price point is higher, Quince’s cookware is more affordable than other high-end kitchen brands.

The set has a fully clad 5-ply construction and comes with two frying pans, two saucepans with lids, a stock pot with a lid, and a sauteé pan with a lid. It’s made with five layers of stainless steel and aluminum for even heat distribution and maximum durability, and it’s free of PFAS, PFOA, PTFE, BPA, lead and cadmium. Let’s just say her husband has already sent me videos of her cooking eggs (while wearing the bathrobe!) because she loves them so much. 

For the price point, Quince is a no-brainer when it comes to home decor essentials. The quality is better than Target or Zara, and it feels good knowing the brand prioritizes sustainability commitments and ethical practices, too. Are there more sustainable options? Sure. I’m a big fan of handmade or second-hand when possible—and trust me, we also made many thrift shop trips during this move! 

But I love that Quince allows people to stick to a budget while helping move the needle in the right direction. The home goods collection includes durable, quality, and luxurious items perfect for every starter home. The nontoxic pans alone are worth it!

Kayti Christian is Senior Content Strategist at The Good Trade. She has an MFA in Nonfiction Creative Writing and has been featured in TODAY, Shondaland, and The New York Times. She is the creator of Feelings Not Aside, a newsletter for sensitive people, and cohost of the FriedEggs Podcast, a podcast about IVF and infertility.