11 Natural Materials Used To Make Green Caskets

Reasons To Use A Green Casket

Green caskets are caskets made from sustainably produced materials from renewable sources, are easily biodegradable, and don’t add toxins to the earth as they decompose. For these reasons, green caskets have much less of an impact on the earth than commercially produced caskets.

If you are planning a burial in a green cemetery or green burial ground, you may be required to use a green casket.

To learn about "regular" caskets, see our article Caskets.

Green Casket Materials

Caskets are available in a range of "low-impact" materials, such as:

• Bamboo
• Hemp
• Organic wool and felt
• Organic cotton
• Cork
• Teak
• Willow
• Rattan
• Seagrass
• Banana leaf
• Recycled cardboard

To purchase a green casket, use our resource Guide: Purchasing a Green Casket.

Casket Decomposition

Once buried, commercially produced caskets can take an extraordinarily long time to break down in the soil, especially if the casket contains any metal parts, such as handles and hinges, or chemical treatments, such as paint or veneer. Green caskets, on the other hand, are as a rule made without metal or chemical treatments, so they decompose more easily and with less impact on the environment.

Where To Purchase A Green Casket

Green caskets may not be available at most funeral homes, but are readily available from online retailers. If the funeral home you're working with doesn't offer green caskets, you can either ask them to help you purchase a green casket from a vendor they may already work with, or you can purchase a green casket elsewhere and use that. According to the Federal Trade Commission's Funeral Rule, you have the right to bring in any outside products to a funeral home, and the funeral home must use the products at no additional charge to you.