Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Caskets and Coffins

If you are interested in planning an eco-friendly funeral, a great place to start is with the choice of casket.  Many traditional caskets are made of expensive materials that will not decompose and can have negative effects on the earth that they are buried in.  Below are some green options to consider.

Alternative woven Casket 

These beautifully woven caskets are made from a variety of materials like willow, bamboo, and banana.  The company offers a variety of sizes, all 100% sustainable and biodegradable.  

Macramé Coffin  

Shaina Garfield designed this intricate macramé coffin she calls LEAVES.  The netted design uses ropes infused with spores to encourage fungus growth to help speed the decomposition process. Shaina hopes her green design will advocate celebrating people and earth. To see more images of LEAVES visit her page here.

Shelving System Coffin  

This unique concept blends interior design with sustainable burial practices.  William Warren created a “build at home” shelving unit that can be taken apart and reconstructed into the owner’s coffin, when required.  He wants the shelves to weather and age with the owner, so they tell the story of their life.  His design first appeared at the London Design Festival in 2005, but you can build your own shelves using his free plan.

Linen Shroud    

A burial shroud is simply any piece of fabric used to wrap the body before burial.  To make this a green option, the shroud must be made of a completely biodegradable fabric like cotton, wool, silk, etc.  A shroud-wrapped body can be placed in a casket, or directly into the grave.  Check out this site, which will show you how to design your own beautiful shroud.

Infinity Burial Suit  

If you are looking for a way to return your body’s energy back to mother nature, the Infinity Burial Suit might be for you.  This sustainable and affordable suit contains mushroom spores which help breakdown toxins and support healthy flora and fauna around the burial site.  Featured at the TEDGlobal Conference in 2011, this suit is helping people feel more emotionally and socially comfortable with the idea of death and dying.

Pine Box Coffin  

For a more traditional casket that is still green and sustainable consider the simple pine box coffin.  These handmade caskets have a negative carbon foot print and are completely biodegradable, making them a perfect choice for eco-friendly burials.  

Wool Felt Coffin 

Called the Leafcocoon, this casket is made from natural wood and thick felt layers in an cocoon shape.  The simple design is very natural and has several different options at different price points.  The felt and wood are biodegradable and can be decorated with needle felted designs made from natural dyed fibers.