A Green Funeral, is it possible?
There is increasing interest in funerals that are sustainable and green. This has to do with a growing group of people who find sustainability an important theme during their lives. These people prefer to use funeral products that are made of sustainable and/or organic materials.
Materials for a Green Funeral
Materials for a Green funeral include the use of a biodegradable coffin, a carrier with a shroud made of natural materials. More and more alternatives appear for every facet of a funeral. Low-carbon transport, printing on chlorine-free paper, burial in a natural burial ground, you name it. The GreenLeave Foundation helps funeral directors to arrange more sustainable and greener funerals.
Natural burial
For a truly Green Funeral, there are a number of natural burial grounds throughout the Netherlands where you can be buried in nature. For example, the natural burial grounds Natural Burial Ground Hillig Meer and Natural Burial Ground Heidepol . You are buried amidst flourishing trees and plants. The idea behind a natural burial ground is: "what comes from nature, also goes back to nature". Graves are not placed together in strict rows, but they are placed in accordance with nature, and chosen by the people or family themselves. No gravestones are used, but often natural ornaments and wild plants are offered as an alternative. Such markings include small boulders or a small wooden sign. Importantly, no materials can be used that are harmful to the environment. Our products, such as the Willow shell, the Comfort carrier and the Willow carrier are ideally suited for this purpose.
Buried without a coffin
Since 1991, it has been permitted to bury or cremate the deceased without a coffin. Especially in the case of natural burial at a natural burial ground, burial without a coffin is highly desirable. The body can be buried in a shroud made of various natural materials such as cotton, linen, hemp or silk. To bring the body to its final resting place, you can use our Willow carrier, Willow shell, or any carrier made of responsible wood. There are sufficient alternatives available for burial without a coffin that are environmentally friendly.
The Willow carrier
The Willow carrier is the most natural stretcher there is. The carrier is made of thick willow branches from Dutch soil that are woven together by flexible twigs. It is carried by its outer sticks and can easily be carried by the family, because it is very light and manageable. The best thing about the carrier is that no trees are cut down for it, since it is all pruning wood. The Willow carrier therefore fits very well with a green funeral. The Willow carrier has also been awarded a GreenLeave certificate of sustainability.
Bowl-shaped carrier
Our Willow shell and our Comfort carrier are made in an organic bowl shape. This bowls are made of hand-woven willow branches. There is a rattan string in the edge of this basket. The willow branches are grown in the Netherlands, without pesticides. This makes the Willow shell very environmentally friendly. The Willow Shell, like the Willow carrier, has been awarded a GreenLeave certificate of sustainability.
Hemp shroud
Our Hemp shroud is made of a sturdy hemp fabric in the color dark ecru. This shroud is sustainably produced and has a natural, sturdy look. The sturdy fabric gives extra emphasis to folds that are made when shrouding the body. Hemp is a sustainable crop that grows quickly in almost any climate, almost twice as fast as cotton. The Hemp shroud has also been awarded a GreenLeave certificate of sustainability.
The Willow shell and the Hemp shroud
Thick wool shroud
The Thick wool shroud. It's remarkable that this fabric is locally produced, as wool weaving has slowly disappeared from the Netherlands in recent years. The wool for our Thick wool shroud comes from flocks of sheep used for nature conservation, and the cloth is locally produced. The Thick wool shroud has also been awarded a GreenLeave sustainability certificate.
Shroud straps
With our Shroud straps, a shroud can be closed, and fastened to a carrier. These straps are available in various materials: 100% Dutch wool and sustainable hemp. All our Shroud straps have been awarded a GreenLeave certificate.
