Loop Biotech’s Mushroom Caskets and Pet Urns Take Root in Deathcare

For a few months this summer, millions of people from across the United States were reading about the burial of Maine resident Mark C. Ancker. It wasn’t because Ancker’s funeral was over-the-top or attracted thousands of mourners; his was, in fact, a lovely and thoughtful low-key, private ceremony. No, what made Ancker’s burial newsworthy was his status as the first person in North America to be buried in a mushroom casket — the brainchild of Bob Hendrikx, founder of Loop Biotech.

Since its June 2025 U.S. launch, Netherlands-based Loop Biotech’s Loop Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket has grown from an eco-curiosity into a certified, functional option for green burial and cremation — and its potential positive impact on the environment has reached well beyond the deathcare community. The global press has noticed. 

It’s about TIME

Last month, TIME Magazine named the Loop Living Cocoon™ one of its Best Inventions, describing it as “an all-natural casket that actively enriches nature, even after we’re gone.” The magazine noted that more than 2,500 burials worldwide using Loop’s mushroom-hemp caskets since launch.

This recognition, along with Loop’s partnerships and growing North American presence, helps counter earlier skepticism about mushroom-based burial options.

“Sometimes people say, ‘The mushroom suit didn’t work, so this doesn’t work either,’” Hendrikx admits. “That’s a pity, because it’s a totally different thing. Our product just dissolves into nature — we focus on the enrichment of the local soil. That’s the most important trait for us.”

At just 31, Hendrikx balances innovation and family life (he and his wife recently welcomed a baby boy) while redefining what a casket can mean in the 21st century. Loop Biotech’s products don’t just decompose — they compose life anew.

For funeral professionals, the company’s success underscores a growing shift: families increasingly seek products that heal the planet as they honor their loved ones.

“Our goal,” Hendrikx says simply, “is to make sure that when you leave this world, you leave it a little bit better.”

Touch and feel

Attendees of the 2025 National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) International Convention & Expo had the opportunity not only to meet Hendrikx and his team, but also to get up-close and personal with the unexpectedly-touchable Loop Living Cocoon.

“We grow an exterior mushroom skin,” Hendrikx explains. “It sounds a little bit technical, but basically, it feels — it is — pure mushroom. It’s super soft, almost like velvet.”

That “velvet” softness has surprised many funeral directors and families who’ve handled the Loop Living Cocoon, the company’s biodegradable coffin grown from mycelium — the root structure of mushrooms — and hemp fibers. 

It’s the same material that composes Loop Biotech’s newest deathcare product, Loop FurEver™, the world’s first mushroom urn for animals. Announced on World Animal Day (October 2, 2025), the urn is designed for both indoor keepsake and outdoor burial.

“They’re very cuddly,” Hendrikx says with a smile.

The urn comes in two sizes — 0.5 liters for smaller animals and 1.5 liters for larger pets — and is crafted from mycelium and upcycled hemp fibers. When buried, it biodegrades fully within 45 days, enriching the soil. Families can also keep it indoors as a natural, organic memorial. 

Easier than ever before

No matter which of Loop Biotech’s products deathcare professionals may be interested in, it’s easier than ever before to offer them to the families you serve. In the early days, every casket shipped from the Netherlands — a logistical nightmare for a time-sensitive profession.

“People died and I was like, hey, can you ship it? Sure,” Hendrikx laughs. “It takes one month — or a few days if it goes by air, but that’s super expensive.”

Now, Loop Biotech has warehouses in New York and Los Angeles, allowing next-day delivery anywhere in the U.S.

“That totally changed,” Hendrikx says. “We can have it the next day with any family member, which is a huge win.”

An ever-expanding footprint

The company has also built its business around transparency and practicality.

“We’re super transparent with pricing,” Hendrikx explains. “We have a distribution model, regular funeral home model, and end-consumer pricing — with enough margins for all parties to eat and make sure the sustainable impact goes hand in hand with profits. Because in the end, we can only make a sustainable impact if there really is a functioning business model.”

That three-pronged distribution model has proved successful for Loop Biotech, as the press and public accolades for its products have intrigued both corporate partners and eco-conscious individual families.

“We had several direct sales from families,” says Hendrikx. “We had various indirect sales via partners. We onboarded new partners like Titan Casket, Passages International, and recently also in Canada with Mount Pleasant Group and Victoriaville. We see a lot of interest coming up from various angles — a lot to juggle, but the good problems to have.”

Those “good problems” reflect the momentum of a young company scaling fast. Hendrikx estimates that 15 to 20 burials using the mushroom casket have already taken place in the United States.

With U.S. warehouses, expanding partnerships, and international recognition, Hendrikx says the next step is deepening their North American presence — and perhaps a broader retail partnership. To learn more about Loop Biotech, reach out to Hendrikx and his team at https://loop-biotech.com/contact/.

There’s a little of everything in Funeral Director Daily’s list of “Top Read” articles of the past 30 days.  There is information on caskets, services, memorialization, value of businesses, and even some thoughts on what Death Care personnel do that the general public just doesn’t understand. . . .

And, we will throw a little history and nostalgia in the mix too.  The top read story of the past 30 days brings a little nostalgia as it has to do with a company that is not even involved in the Death Care business anymore but has its founding principles embedded in the casket business — Hillenbrand Industries, former parent company of Batesville (Casket).

Here’s the Top Read Funeral Director Daily articles from October 16 to November 15:

1. Hillenbrand Industries sold
2. Are we in the midst of a paradigm shift, from “Services selection” to “Memorialization selection”, by the consumer?
3. Casket companies make some news. . . .and what is the future demand?
4. Small volume firms need to know their potential value
5. Most people just don’t understand. . . . . 

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

If you have been a funeral director for any length of time like I was for 33 years you have probably thought that telling of the experiences you went through would make a good book.  There is probably all kinds of death scenes you’ve been at, interesting family dynamics of those you’ve served, and all sorts of incidents that just seem to happen at the services we conduct. . . . . .Lots of times when I look back at my career I simply shake my head and smile about the experiences that I’ve had.

Well, last week I concluded another one of those incidents that could be a chapter in the book. . . . .It all started late this past summer when we (my brother and I) decided it was time to sell a 1960’s era warehouse we had inherited.  We lost our almost 40-year furniture company tenant in the summer of 2024 and decided it would be just best to sell rather than look for a new tenant and continue to operate the building that was soon to need some repair.

I talked to a realtor/golf friend and gave him the key to take a look at the warehouse and offer his thoughts on a potential sale price.  And, because we had such a good triple net tenant for decades I could not remember the last time I was inside the building.

The realtor called me, suggested a price, and then said, “You’ll have to get those two caskets out of there before you sell though”.  I shook the cobwebs out of my head and remembered that, before my time at the funeral home, the warehouse had been used in part to store extra caskets.

I started at the funeral home in 1980 but I can remember as a younger person helping to unload truckloads of caskets out at the warehouse.  My guess is that in the days before 24-hour delivery we bought caskets in much larger quantities and stored extra units at this warehouse.

At the end of the day when I went to the warehouse I found the two caskets, sitting on the concrete floor, both slightly damaged which explains why they were left there and, obviously,  forgotten about.  Interestingly, one was a 20 gauge steel casket and the other had a label on the foot end that read, “Solid Bronze – National Casket Company”.   And you could really tell the construction difference if you just tried to nudge the bronze.

My guess is that those caskets had sat in that position on the concrete floor of that warehouse for over 50 years.

To make a long story short, last week a couple of friends helped me out and we gutted and threw away the interior of the caskets, got two vans, loaded up the caskets and brought them to a large metal recycling plant.  The people at the plant checked the metals for type and determined that the lighter casket was steel, and determined that the heavier casket was “Yellow Brass”.  Fellow funeral directors would call it “painted bronze”.

Here’s how the episode worked out financially for me:

1. Steel Casket — 40 total pounds at $0.045 cents per pound equaled a total of $1.80
2. Painted Bronze — 201 total pounds (less approximately 20 lbs. of steel — handles, corners, lugs, interior, etc) for a NET weight of 181 lbs. of Yellow Brass at a rate of $ 2.50 per pound which equaled a total of $452.50

I got the money, divided up the cash among my friends who helped and we were on our way!!  And, we also closed the real estate transaction on the warehouse for a little higher total value than the contents we had discovered in it!!!

Another couple commercial transactions done. . . . another chapter to the book — that will probably never get written!!

More to the Story — The whole episode resulted in getting me curious about the National Casket Company.  From this article in Wikipedia you can discover that the National Casket Company was formed in 1880 by the combination of three different casket companies.  The article mentions that the company had an initial capital value of $3 million in that year.  Just for comparison sake, $3 million in 1880 has the purchasing power of $953 million 145 years later in 2025. . . . .So, it was not a small company.

As a matter of fact, the Wikipedia article states that by 1951 National Casket Company was the largest casket company in the world.

John Hillenbrand who started the company that eventually became Batesville did not do so until 1884 and, if the Wikipedia article is correct, surpassed National Casket Company sometime after 1951 to become the world’s largest casket company.

According to the article, the National Casket Company went through a series of transactions that resulted in the company closing “during or after the 1980’s”. . . . .Quite frankly, the Wikipedia page describes a very interesting history of National Casket Company which includes business sales, some original corporate raiders, and even some purported hijinks by a major shareholder who also happened to be a member of the United States Congress and ended up being convicted on fraud charges.

Like I said. . . . .another chapter for the book!!!

Related — This article titled “Famed casket company in Oneido recalled” tells more of the National Casket Company story including that the company produced the Mahogany casket for President William McKinley’s visitation in 1901.

Related—  Metal Comparisons from Sequoia Brass and Bronze

Related — Current spot prices for scrap metal from Rockaway Recycling

More news from the world of Death Care:

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Private Label Caskets Winding Down Operations Citing Tariffs and Volatility

In light of President Trump’s March 2025 tariffs on aluminum and steel and other economic concerns, Private Label Caskets has decided to cease operations as of December 31, 2025 after more than 17 years in business.

On October 20, 2025, Private Label customers received a memo explaining the decision. Citing “recent global economic volatility and newly imposed tariffs — especially those impacting imported steel, wood, and caskets,” the memo explains that “these conditions make it increasingly difficult to guarantee affordable, stable pricing and dependable supply.”

The memo, which is also posted to the company’s website, was accompanied by a “tariff free pricing” inventory list. Customers were encouraged to order a “larger supply” of the remaining inventory, adding that they will be supported by the company until this inventory is depleted.

A thoughtful, if difficult, decision

Monday’s memo, coupled with a July 2025 press release by Private Label Caskets, show that this decision was not made lightly or quickly. Although the company stated in July that they were “weathering the tariff rollercoaster after a record-setting 29% growth in 2024,” Private Label representatives were quite transparent in explaining the impact of tariffs over the past eight years.

Carlos Figueroa, of Private Label’s parent company Buchanan Group, stated in the July release that tariffs were first instituted in 2017 and have “multiplied” through the years, reaching up to 135% at one time. Figueroa added that the “big tariff shock hit” the company in May, leading Private Label to add a 30% surcharge to cover tariffs — only the third time in the company’s history that prices were raised. 

Even then, Private Label and Buchanan Group owner Bruce W. Buchanan openly explained that he understood the intended goal of tariffs, but hoped that caskets could be exempt.

“I appreciate what the president is trying to accomplish by levying tariffs,” said Buchanan in July. “There are key manufacturing sectors that should come back to the U.S., but I don’t believe that caskets are one of those. Funeral homes already operate at thin margins; we need whatever help we can get with the cost of products.”

Looking forward

Before reaching the conclusion to cease operations, Private Label explored other alternatives, including “nearshoring and U.S. sourcing” according to the memo, but determined that winding down was the “best path” for the company and its customers — and, ultimately, for the families they serve. 

The December wind-down may be a case of one door closing, but another opening, as Private Label leaders are actively seeking a “relationship with a domestic manufacturer.” 

This spring, multiple media outlets predicted the potential impact of Trump’s tariffs on funeral costs, shortly after the 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum was announced on March 12. 

Crab-Shaped Caskets & Coffin Torpedoes | 4M #202

Welcome to the two-hundred-and-second edition of Morticians’ Monday Morning Mashup, 4M #202, where we’ll serve up bite-sized, easily-digestible nuggets of the deathcare news you need to crush conversations in the week ahead. Bon appetit!

More than mildly infuriating

You don’t have to be a feminist to recognize the stark contrast in this couple’s epitaphs — which is why the image has gone viral on Reddit. Newsweek reached out to Parting Stone’s Carla Harvey for comment, and we love her response. “Too often, Harvey said, women are remembered only for the roles they played in service to others, while their own passions, achievements, and identities go unacknowledged.” So, as a deathcare professional, remember that you have the unique opportunity to help a family tell a person’s story — whether it’s on a grave marker, video tribute, obituary or elsewhere.

Meaningful journey

How cool is it that the Washington State Ferry system hosts memorials at sea for families in the Northwest? Anyone who wants to spread the cremains of a loved one into the Puget Sound can book a memorial on one of seven ferry routes for only $150. The ferry service also offers a biodegradable Himalayan salt “journey urn” for purchase.  

New podcast

James H. Cole Home for Funerals, Michigan’s oldest Black-owned funeral home and the home of our friend, fourth-generation funeral director Antonio Green, debuted a new podcast on August 7. Antonio and his brother, Brice, are the hosts of “The Repast Podcast,” which offers an “unfiltered, informative, and deeply human look at the funeral industry and welcomes experts from across the deathcare landscape. Check out The Repast Podcast on YouTube and follow @repastpodcast on Instagram for behind-the-scenes info.

Ghana’s got it goin’ on

Who looks forward to attending a funeral? Perhaps the folks in Ghana, as their over-the-top funerals take the “celebration” part of the celebration of life event seriously. Regula Tschumi has spent 20 years photographing and researching Ghanaian funeral rituals, which include dancing pallbearers and customized coffins shaped like apples, crabs, teapots, pineapples, fish, vehicles … pretty much anything that reflects the deceased’s life or personality. The Guardian recently shared some of Tschumi’s work, which we encourage you to enjoy here!

Bring ‘em back

The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch recently reminded readers of one of the state’s forgotten inventions: the coffin torpedo. A rash of grave robberies during the Victorian era led Columbus artist Philip Clover to design and apply for a patent in 1878 for a “torpedo” that would “successfully prevent the unauthorized resurrection of dead bodies.” The device would be secured to the coffin and/or the body and would fire lead balls if someone attempted to remove the corpse. It’s not clear if the coffin torpedo was ever implemented, but one must wonder if a version of this invention could be used today to prevent the theft of vases in cemeteries. Just a thought …

Good Luck Caskets & Misguided Motives | 4M #198

Welcome to the hundred-and-ninety-eighth edition of Morticians’ Monday Morning Mashup, 4M #198, where we’ll serve up bite-sized, easily-digestible nuggets of the deathcare news you need to crush conversations in the week ahead. Bon appetit!

He loves his momma

In order to ensure that his 70-year-old mom sticks around for as long as possible, a man  in China’s Hunan province did what we would all do — he marched his very-much-alive mother through town in a casket. The video of this procession, which included a total 16 men carrying the casket from the shop to the woman’s home, has gone viral, and the man says he hopes it brings good fortune and long life to his mom.

Tending America’s lawn

Last week, more than 400 landscapers from 30 states gathered at the FDR Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery to move and spread about 12 dump truck loads of mulch. The effort was part of a national day of service initiative organized by the National Association of Landscape Professionals. The mulch will “support tree and plant health by simulating the forest floor,” says a press release.

He accomplished his goal

A Texas funeral home is apologizing for the actions of a now former employee who posted videos of himself romping among the caskets in their selection room — with a gun. Another employee said the guy was just “trying to go viral.” He has, but not in the way he probably had hoped.

No notice, big problem

Remember when the US Postal Service was the mode through which everyone received reminders about everything from credit card bills to car tag renewals? Although most companies and organizations switched to reminders via email or text years ago, one funeral director must have missed the memo. So, when it came time to renew his funeral director’s license in 2012 and he didn’t get a reminder in the mail, he just kept on keeping on, practicing without a license for 12 more years. When he realized his mistake, he self-reported to his state’s board, who imposed a $1,000 fine. The board received no complaints about his service during the period when he was unlicensed, and he is currently in the process of renewing.

Private Label Caskets Weathers Tariff Headwinds

Indianapolis, IN – Indianapolis-based Private Label Casket Company is weathering the tariff rollercoaster after a record-setting 29% growth in 2024. 

If you want to hear a blow-by-blow account of the past few months, just ask Carlos Figueroa, Buchanan Group’s Private Label manager. “We started 2025 up another 29% until the big tariff shock hit us in May, then orders leveled off. Still, our clients have remained loyal and we are adding significant new ones.”

“The government has been adding and subtracting tariffs on our imported products in a way I never imagined,” said Figueroa. “It started in 2017 when a 10% tariff was first instituted. Since then, multiple back and forths have multiplied that number.” Due to the nature of publishing deadlines, the current level of tariffs cannot be predicted. For a short time it was as high as 135%.

Private Label has raised prices only three times in its 17 years of importing and distributing caskets and urns. This makes them unique. Currently, the company adds a surcharge of 30% to cover the tariffs, even though it is paying at a higher level. Figueroa says that the surcharge will be removed once tariffs drop back down.    

“It has kept us nimble,” said the owner of Private Label and the Buchanan Group of companies, Bruce W. Buchanan. “We have kept our business stable by working with our manufacturers, keeping our staff right-sized, and being flexible with warehousing. We still have a high-quality product that costs less. Tariffs don’t change that.”   

Buchanan Group is a management services company that owns Private Label, Fewell Monument, and Flanner Buchanan Funeral Centers. The firm was started in 1881 and was a founding member of Selected Independent Funeral Homes. Private Label launched as a distributorship in 2010.

“I appreciate what the president is trying to accomplish by levying tariffs,” said Buchanan. “There are key manufacturing sectors that should come back to the U.S., but I don’t believe that caskets are one of those. Funeral homes already operate at thin margins; we need whatever help we can get with the cost of products.” 

“We work with many premier funeral home operators in the country. They appreciate our quality, pricing, and commitment to serving families. We are a funeral company that just happens to sell great caskets. I believe this tariff pain will pass.”

###

Private Label Caskets, a member of the Buchanan Group of companies, serves funeral homes and distributors throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. The brand is a smart, customer-centric alternative to the more expensive, big-name casket brands. Private Label’s caskets and urns include a mix of imported and domestic products, and are offered in a wide range of popular, high-quality wood and metal models. Regional warehouses, stocked with thousands of products, provide for product availability and on-time delivery of caskets and urns throughout North America. Their website is www.PrivateLabelCaskets.com.

Thacker Caskets Opens 19th Distribution Center, Servicing St. Louis, Missouri 

Monrovia, MD — Thacker Caskets, the nation’s largest family-owned funeral supply company, is proud  to announce the opening of its 19th distribution center, located in Belleville, Illinois, serving the greater  St. Louis, Missouri area. This new facility expands Thacker’s reach and reinforces its commitment to  providing funeral homes throughout the Midwest with faster delivery, local support, and full access to  its extensive product offerings. 

Over the last 85 years, Thacker Caskets has grown from humble beginnings to become a national leader  in the funeral supply industry, all while remaining family-owned and grounded in the core values of  compassion, integrity, and service. The new St. Louis center enables Thacker to deliver quicker  turnaround times, enhanced logistical support, and face-to-face representation to assist funeral homes  with merchandising, planning, and day-to-day service. Funeral Homes will also have access to Thacker’s  full line of American-made caskets, innovative personalization programs, and a wide range of  ceremonial rental caskets for cremation. 

“We’re excited to plant our flag in St. Louis and begin serving funeral homes across this region,” said  Nick Giamalva, the new Sales Consultant for the St. Louis territory. “Thacker has an outstanding  reputation in this profession, and I’m proud to represent a company that offers American-made caskets  and real support for funeral directors. I look forward to building strong relationships here and helping  funeral homes showcase the best to the families they serve.” 

Thacker also welcomes Chris Boeglar as the new Warehouse Manager of the Belleville facility. 

“This new distribution center was designed with efficiency and dependability at its foundation,” said  Roberto Castillo, Thacker’s Operations Manager. “From streamlined inventory receiving to timely,  accurate deliveries, our focus is on providing the seamless experience funeral homes have come to trust  and expect from Thacker.” 

Paul Graham, Thacker’s National Sales Director, added: “This is an exciting new chapter for our sales  team. Having a local presence in St. Louis, combined with Nick’s talent and passion for service, positions  us to deepen partnerships with funeral homes in the area. We’re not just delivering caskets, we’re  delivering solutions, support, and long-term value to our clients.” 

About Thacker Caskets: Founded in 1939, Thacker Caskets is the largest family-owned funeral supply company in the United  States. With a focus on quality, affordability, and exceptional customer service, Thacker’s mission is to  be the most trusted funeral supplier by providing honest products, at an honest price, with honest  service. To learn more, please visit www.thackercaskets.com.

Batesville Delivers Unprecedented Value with Industry’s First 28” Interior Width Wood Caskets that Fit in a Standard Vault

BATESVILLE, Ind., June 2, 2025 – Batesville, a leading provider of high-quality burial and cremation products, innovative technology solutions and a trusted partner to funeral directors, cemeterians and crematory professionals, announced the launch of two new patent-pending oversize hardwood caskets engineered to provide a full 28 inches of interior width, while still fitting into a standard vault. The latest additions to its Dimensions^® oversize casket collection, the Bailey 28 and Clifton 28 include the company’s Family Choices^® personalization features, providing greater flexibility and more value to funeral directors and families.

“We believe all families should have choices in how they remember and celebrate their loved ones, regardless of disposition, product size or personal style,” Jenn Parvin, SVP and Chief Marketing Officer at Batesville. “This year, around 75,000 funerals will require an oversize casket, and we are proud to be able to provide feature-rich, cost-effective solutions to help grieving families have better funeral experiences.” 

Recognized as an innovation leader, Batesville’s patent-pending construction and design provide approximately 1 inch of additional interior width without adding to the exterior dimensions. This allows these caskets to fit in a standard size burial vault, a significant cost advantage for a family compared to the price of an oversize vault. The Bailey 28 and Clifton 28 represent an industry first in the oversize wood category, and complement Batesville’s current Dimensions line, which already includes a selection of 28-inch metal caskets that fit into a standard vault. 

Thoughtful design that delivers unprecedented value.

Research shows that 75% of funeral consumers recognize the value of personalization when choosing a product for a loved one. The Bailey 28 and Clifton 28 give families the personalization options they desire in a larger shell that avoids the added expense of an oversize vault or larger plot, helping to reduce their overall burial costs. Based on two of the company’s most popular wood designs, these new oversize models can be presented from standard Bailey and Clifton caskets, reducing space requirements in the selection room and minimizing inventory costs. 

Both models include Batesville’s proprietary Family Choices personalization features at no additional cost and are suitable for burial or cremation (dual disposition). 

• Bailey 28: The beautiful satin Pecan finish and embossed swingbar are accentuated by a Khaki Linwood fabric interior and Charpente interior system, creating a warm elegant appearance. Constructed of Select Hardwood and Veneers, the Bailey includes four Family Choices corner designs at no additional charge. Available in half and full-couch models.

• Clifton 28: This solid hardwood casket has a Victorian Cherry stain and Rosetan Crepe     interior with a dual overlay for added flexibility. The built-in LifeView^® Decorative Panel can be personalized with family photos, mementos and one of more than 80 LifeStories^® corner or medallion designs. Its competitive price makes it even more attractive to families. 

Both products will be available in CSCs across the US and Canada in early June.

Blending form and function to meet families’ needs. 

Since introducing the Dimensions oversize product line in 2004, Batesville has continued to adapt and enhance this collection with new materials, finishes, designs, and features. Today, the company has a comprehensive line of oversize models in a wide range of styles, price points and sizes, with interior widths from 27 to 33 inches. All Batesville and NewPointe^® metal and wood oversize caskets offer personalization features to enhance family satisfaction.

For more information on the new Clifton 28 and Bailey 28 or other Dimensions products, please visit www.Batesville.com or contact your Batesville sales representative.

ABOUT BATESVILLE SERVICES, LLC

Batesville (www.Batesville.com) is a recognized leader in the deathcare industry in North America, offering a comprehensive portfolio of burial and cremation products, innovative technology solutions and an unparalleled array of personalization and memorialization offerings. For more than a century, Batesville has supported deathcare professionals in helping families honor the lives of those they love.^® A history of manufacturing excellence, product innovation, superior customer service, and reliable delivery helped Batesville become – and remain – a market leader.