Guide: Purchasing A Green Casket

The Green Burial Council has set the following standards for “green” burial products:

• The product must not contain any plastics, acrylics, or synthetic polymer materials
• The product must not release toxic by-products in the facility where the product is manufactured
• Materials must be produced and harvested in environmentally sustainable ways or must be produced using reclaimed or recycled materials
• The transportation of materials to the manufacturer and the transportation of the product to the consumer may not exceed 3000 miles

What You Need To Know

While some funeral homes and casket showrooms in the United States will carry green caskets, most will not. However, there are many online retailers selling green caskets in a wide range of materials, styles, and prices.

Keep in mind that the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule guarantees that a funeral home may not refuse or charge a fee for using a casket you purchased elsewhere, including a casket you may have built yourself.

Green Burial Council

The Green Burial Council has approved 15 vendors and producers of green burial products, some of which are wholesalers and some of which sell directly to consumers.

Final Footprint

Offering green caskets made in the United States, Poland, and Indonesia, Final Footprint sells caskets that are made from low-impact, sustainably raised materials such as banana leaf, bamboo, rattan, seagrass, wood, and organic fabrics. All imported caskets are certified Fair Trade. Caskets range from $730-$980, with an additional charge for shipping.

Northwoods Casket Company

This Wisconsin-based company opts for sustainability and handcrafts elegant wooden caskets "fin a manner that preserves and protects our precious natural resources and the Earth's beautiful landscapes." (Photo Credit: The photo used in this article Northwoods' "Simple Pine Box" creation.)

The Old Pine Box

Based in New Mexico, these coffin crafters specialize in pine box caskets, pine coffins, cedar coffins, and specialty urns.

NOTE: To find more natural casket options either do a quick search for a place in your area or speak with a funeral home or cemetery for local vendors. Keep in mind that the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule guarantees that a funeral home may not refuse or charge a fee for using a casket you purchased elsewhere, including a casket you have bought online.