Funeral shroud

An alternative to the coffin

More and more people want to organize a funeral differently than with a closed, solid coffin. The stateliness of a coffin can feel distant. We also often hear that people find it a confining, scary idea to be placed in a coffin after their passing. Fortunately, since 1998 it is possible to use an alternative: the funeral shroud. This is a large cloth in which the body can be shrouded, as in the image below of our Bamboo set :

Why use a funeral shroud?

The beauty of a shroud is that the body is a little closer during the farewell, compared to if they were placed in a coffin. The soft fabric of the shroud also invites you to touch the body one last time. Of course, this is not necessary for everyone; some people find it strange to be aware of the body of the deceased during a farewell. The nice thing about a shroud is that it does cover the entire body and neatly softens its shapes. This way, the shroud offers a perfect middle ground between distance and proximity.

How is a funeral shroud folded?

If you wish, you can fold a shroud yourself. This is an intimate act that many people experience as valuable. There are two ways in which the shroud can be folded: closed or an open. For a wake, the shroud is usually left open at the head and draped around it. For the ceremony, the head usually covered. In the image below, you can see how a funeral shroud can be folded.

The Green Funeral

Shrouds fit very nicely with a green funeral or a farewell at a natural burial ground. The undyed fabrics that we use are naturally biodegradable and biologically or sustainably produced. In order to use a shroud at a farewell or funeral, a carrier is also required. This is a portable surface on which the body is placed, after being wrapped in the shroud. Our carriers are also sustainable and biodegradable.