Plastic Free Funerals

As a company dedicated to caring for the environment and the bereaved, The Natural Burial Company believe it important to do everything we can to care for nature and our beautiful world.

Accordingly, whilst we already ban plastic handles at our natural burial grounds, and only offer environmentally friendly coffins for our Family Led Services, we also believe that the time is right for everyone within funeral service to cease the use of plastic coffin and casket handles.

Today we call on fellow funeral service professionals to support us in saying no to plastic. Please join our campaign #PlasticFreeFunerals.

Plastic Coffin Handles – Time for a Change

For many within funeral service the veneered or foil coffin with plastic handles has been the standard.  There are numerous reasons as to why this is the case and over the years this has been the public understanding of what a coffin looks like, although there may have been little understanding that the handles were plastic.

In recent years, public demand for greater environmentally friendly options and innovation from suppliers has resulted in the availability of coffins in greener materials such as Cardboard, Wicker and Wool. 

Whilst this change is welcomed there remains an issue regarding the use of plastic handles, in fact it is estimated that 3 million single use plastic coffin handles are used each year.  This creates totally unnecessary damage to our climate, especially when more environmentally friendly options such as wood or rope are readily available.   

Therefore, we believe that the time is right for all funeral directors to make the change.  In our 2023 survey* 84% of respondents answered that they would choose “greener option” wood or rope handles over plastic, a further 5% stated that they may, dependent on the cost.

Therefore, the public demand is there, and the excellent network of coffin and casket suppliers in the UK can provide the options, so any change could almost be instant.

In common with most natural burial grounds, The Natural Burial Company do not allow plastic handles, and their range of coffins, caskets, and shrouds available for Family Led Services (personalised funerals) is made up of environmentally friendly materials only.  This includes Willow, Cardboard, Bamboo, Jute, and Wool.

*Environmentally Friendly Funeral Awareness Survey 2023.

For further information www.thenaturalburialcompany.co.uk www.funeralsdirect.co.uk or email