Abstract: There is provided a synthetic wood article formed as an irregularly shaped substrate. The substrate is made from at least one plastic and preferably from post-consumer plastics such as, for example, from disposed of PET bottles or PE trash bags. The article may have the appearance of a wood chip, bark, shredded wood, or sawdust. The substrate is formed by chipping, shredding, or pulverizing a solid piece of plastic which has been extruded. The substrate may have multi layers thereby presenting a wood grain appearance. A plurality of such articles may be used as a synthetic wood mulch.