The bier as an alternative

What is a bier?

During a farewell, a bier can be used instead of a coffin. The special thing about this is that the deceased is a little closer during the farewell than if they were lying in a coffin. The deceased is then wrapped in a shroud, a soft cloth that is opened or closed at the head. In this way, the whole invites you to be close to the deceased one last time, while the body is neatly covered. A stretcher with a shroud offers a perfect middle ground between distance and proximity.

Different bars

Biers, or bier boards , can take many forms. For example, there are woven baskets, tied branches and specially shaped wood. All our bier boards can be carried by six people and can weigh up to 115 kilos. Sometimes a crematorium requires that biers have a flat bottom. If this is the case, you can use a sliding board , a flat bottom and a raised edge that can be placed under the bier board.

Below you can view some of our bars:

Bamboo bar

The Bamboo Bar is made of bamboo, a crop that grows extremely quickly and easily. No pesticides or additional water supply are needed to grow it, which makes bamboo an environmentally and nature-friendly material. The bamboo sticks are woven together with Rotan, a liana from Indonesia.

Branchable

This bier is made of Dutch willow branches. The Takkenbaar is a very natural choice, because the willow branches are recycled pruning wood. The dark willow branches also give a beautiful rustic look. If you are looking for a suitable sustainable shroud for this bier, we recommend the Hemp shroud .

Scale of willow twigs

The Willow Bowl is made of willow branches, just like the Branch Bar, but of thinner branches that are woven together more tightly. Six recesses are left in the wickerwork that serve as handles. The shape is beautifully rounded, like a basket in which someone lies both sheltered and open.

Comfort bar

The Comfort bar is made of willow twigs, just like the Willow Bowl, but in different colours. The twigs are partly peeled, which gives a lighter colour. The shape also seems the same, but is a bit more wavy and playful. There is a soft sheepskin in the basket.

Rattan bar

The Rotan baar is also a type of basket and has upright edges. It is also equipped with cotton lining and a cushion. The Rotan baar is available in two colours: dark and light.

Earth board

The Aardeplank is a minimalist and functional stretcher made of round curved beech wood. The bier is designed as a reference to how the deceased used to be launched on a boat.

Basic bar

The Basic bier is a simple, sober bier. The clear shape and light colour make the bier suitable for any funeral. The simplicity of the bier also makes the colour of the shroud used stand out more. The bier can also be purchased together with the Basic shroud in the Basic set .

Costs of mortuary shelf

To meet everyone's needs, we have biers in different prices, ranging from €349 to €775. The main reasons for the difference in price are the material and the processing. For example, the bamboo of our Bamboo bier is a very fast growing material compared to willow. In addition, special actions, such as bending wood for our Earth Board and carefully weaving our Willow Bowl , are quite labor-intensive. Ultimately, we find it most important that both the cheaper and the more expensive biers are of good quality, and we take care of that.

Without coffin: bier and shroud

To replace a coffin, in addition to a bier, a shroud is also needed. A complete set is available from just €490 with our Nature set , which is cheaper than most coffins. This set was specially developed for an affordable Green funeral and is completely naturally biodegradable. Because there is a lot of variation in the price of both shrouds and bier boards, you have complete control over the final costs.

Make it soft

Perhaps you find it hard to look at, such a wooden board, and you want the deceased to be a little more comfortable. Then it is possible to use the wool mattress or the sheepskin mattress. We also have a soft cushion. These products are specially designed for use on a bier. Moreover, they are produced completely sustainably and are of course biodegradable.