With the world population continuing to grow exponentially, many major cities face a unique crisis: Running out of room for traditional burials. Houston Landing reports that the city of Houston may not have enough burial space within the next 50 years.

Due to this and a variety of other factors, cremation is steadily gaining popularity. What used to be an uncommon burial method has only grown over the years, as more options become available for human ashes scattering and cremation keepsakes.

If you’re getting ready to bury a loved one, you may be wondering, “Are people cremated with clothes on? Generally, yes. In this article, we will delve into considerations for cremation clothing, ideal clothing materials, and other cremation concerns.

Are People Cremated With Clothes On?

Unless the deceased specifically requests it, people are more often than not cremated with some form of clothes or covering. The type of cremation clothing varies depending on many factors, including:

Religious Funeral Traditions

For religious practices such as Hinduism, cremation is the primary method of burial. As such, the deceased wears the color white, which symbolizes purity. Western practices, like evangelical Christianity, may simply require more modest attire, reflecting clothing choices made in life.

Some religious practices avoid certain colors. In Buddhism, the color red is typically not appropriate for funerals, both for the deceased and guests.

Dressing a loved one may also be significant to one’s religion or culture. If you would like to participate in this process, consult with the funeral home to ensure you follow appropriate guidelines.

Family Preferences

If the deceased is not religious, their family may still want to designate cremation clothing. Often, the type of clothing is significant to the person who has passed away. It could include:

• Their nicest attire
• An outfit associated with a meaningful event
• Something comfortable
• Spiritual or religious clothing
• A sheet or shroud

Personal Preferences

The deceased may have arranged their cremation preferences ahead of time. If they have a will or last testament, be sure to read it and see if there are instructions regarding their final wishes. They can be as general as simply wanting cremation, to specifically requesting certain clothing and items.

A prepaid cremation package may also include mementos such as:

• A thumbprint
• Hair
• A photo
• Splitting and shipping of ashes
• Administrative processes upon death, such as filing the death certificate

Even if you do not agree, it’s vital to honor your loved one’s wishes and fulfill them if possible.

Funeral Home Policies

When you meet with the funeral home, ask if they have any restrictions on cremation clothing. They may not allow certain materials or offensive attire. If dressing your loved one is important to you, discuss this with the staff. It may be available for an additional charge.

Cremation Clothing Materials

Although cremation clothing policies can be very flexible, they also have some limitations. Clothing material can be hazardous when burned at high temperatures, so it’s important to consider the material of your loved one’s garments before making the choice.

Natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, work best for cremation. They are easily combustible and will not emit strong fumes or chemicals during the cremation process. If your loved one was eco-conscious, consider materials that are biodegradable.

Avoid synthetic materials, such as:

• Polyester
• Nylon
• Acrylic
• Spandex

Although these materials are often cheaper and more versatile, they can cause complications. The funeral home may disallow them outright due to the risk of harmful fumes and chemicals.

Before deciding on clothing or purchasing a new outfit for the deceased, ask the funeral home which materials they allow and which to avoid. You’ll save time and money while still honoring your loved one.

Common Questions Concerning Crematorium Practices

As with any burial process, cremation comes with a host of concerns and questions, especially regarding clothing. Here are some common questions you may want to ask.

What If No Clothes Are Provided?

In rare cases, there may be no clothes available for the deceased. They may be an unhoused individual, or the manner of their death may have ruined the clothes they were wearing. Sometimes, family or loved ones are unavailable or untraceable.

Funeral homes will often provide basic clothing in these cases, or a basic funeral shroud. At funeral homes such as Lone Star Cremation, it is important to treat every person with dignity and respect.

What About Direct Cremation?

Direct cremation is the simplest and often most affordable form of cremation. It means that the body is cremated shortly after death, and there is no:

Often, those who are directly cremated usually go through the cremation process in the clothes they were wearing at the time of death. Direct cremation is also a more environmentally-friendly option; no additional material is required for caskets, and embalming fluids usually are not necessary.

What About Personal Items?

Your loved one may wish to be cremated with items or clothing that were important to them. For clothing, it should be permissible as long as it follows the general guidelines of the funeral home.

Jewelry can be tricky. Precious metals generally have a high melting point, meaning they will likely survive the cremation process. However, your funeral home might require the removal of jewelry before the cremation begins.

Smaller items made of organic materials are ideal for creating with the deceased. Large items, or items made of metal, are usually not permissible.

Cremation and Clothing: Now You Know

Are you still wondering, “Are people cremated with clothes on?” The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that the type and style of clothing play a significant role in the cremation process.

At Lone Star Cremation, we guide you through every step of the cremation for your loved one. With a variety of pricing plans and prepayment options available, you can rest easy knowing your loved one has the dignity they deserve, even in death.

Do you want to learn more about the services we offer? Reach out to us today or visit the FAQ page on our website to view common inquiries.

11 Fascinating Facts About The Father of Embalming

One of the very first things a mortuary student learns when embarking on embalming training is the name of the father of embalming, Dr. Thomas Holmes — and for good reason. Although he was not the first person to experiment with various body preservation techniques, he popularized arterial embalming during the American Civil War by developing and applying an arsenic-based solution to preserve soldiers’ bodies for transport home. His work changed mortuary practices and laid the foundation for the modern funeral industry.

These distinctions are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the life and times of Dr. Thomas Holmes. Through first-hand newspaper reports, we’ve uncovered 11 more fun and fascinating facts about the father of embalming, listed here in no particular order:

1. He did not want to be embalmed

When Holmes died on January 8, 1900 at age 83 after “an illness of more than two years,” the headline of his New York Tribune death notice was “Dead Embalmer Wants No Embalming.” The notice added that this “last wish” was in spite of Holmes’ status as the father of embalming and the fact that he had embalmed “about a thousand bodies” (or 28,400 soldiers” as another outlet reported in 1900).

2. He made very little money from his accomplishments, and died a “poor man.”

In 1901, a Washington Post reporter wrote about his 1896 visit to Holmes’ home, saying, “He was living at that time in great poverty, in the miserable little frame hut on Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn where he died.” Another article claimed that while practicing as a physician in New York prior to the Civil War, Holmes purchased property (including the Marcy Avenue lot) that was “at one time said to be worth $100,000.” It is thought that he lost his fortune after committing to his embalming research… as seen in the next item.

3. He once spent $17,000 on beef

After Holmes’ death, it was reported that “at one time he thought that he could preserve fresh beef and purchased for the purposes of experimentation an entire cargo of beeves from Texas. By this purchase the doctor lost nearly $17,000, because the beef all had to be destroyed.”

4. The method he used to embalm Lincoln was amazingly effective, but secret

When the body of Abraham Lincoln was exhumed in 1901 for the purpose of reinterment in a tomb, his body was “found to be in a most excellent state of preservation” thanks to his embalmer, Dr. Thomas Holmes. The exact process Holmes used to embalm Lincoln, though, is still a secret, although journalists wrote that it was a “radical departure from the ordinary mode of embalming by means of fluids.” Instead, Holmes “placed the body in a glass case and subjected it to pressure of a peculiar gas, the action of which hardened the flesh to a degree approaching the toughness of leather.”

5. He secured several patents throughout his lifetime.

Holmes’ patents include:

• Apparatus for Filling Blood-Vessels of Dead Bodies (1861)
• Elastic and Deodorizing Receptacle for Dead Bodies (1863)
• Deodorizing Coffin (1864)
• Improvement in the Process of Preserving Dead Bodies (1877)
• Embalming Syringe (1890)
• Embalming Mixture (1891)

6. Holmes became known for displaying some odd things in his storefront windows.

Supposedly to promote his embalming services, for many years Holmes posted to his storefront a plaque listing the names of prominent Union soldiers he had embalmed during the Civil War. He is also said to have kept an embalmed dog in a glass case in his front window for several years, which “began to excite the curiosity of children going to school.”

7. In his mid-70s, Holmes was committed to a mental asylum for “dementia.”

In 1896, after a “little family difficulty,” Holmes spent two weeks as a mental patient at Flatbush Hospital in Brooklyn, where “insanity experts” examined him and determined he had developed a “slight attack of dementia.” After a few days these doctors declared that the “cause of the attack had disappeared.” After his discharge, he told a reporter that he was “contemplating taking a trip to Key West, with a view to embalming bodies of those killed in the Cuban-Spanish war.” He also said he hoped to “conduct some of his experiments” at the Flatbush facility. 

8. Holmes was sometimes on the wrong side of the law

The aforementioned “family difficulty” that led to Holmes’ very short stay was a little more complicated than the previous article let on. His relatives requested that he be committed after he “made an unsuccessful attempt to kill his wife” with a revolver he had begun keeping by his side, barricaded himself behind a door with an axe in his hand and threatened to kill anyone trying to enter his house. This activity was presumed to have stemmed from his bank foreclosing on his mortgages and his brother-in-law being appointed manager of his estate and his subsequent threat to commit suicide by poisoning himself near his vault in Cypress Hill Cemetery so “it won’t be much work to get me inside.” This situation ultimately resulted in his arrest for … intoxication. The prior year, Holmes was arrested for “keeping a body on his premises for more than two months.” He was released when authorities confirmed that he had obtained the body from Bellevue hospital for “scientific purposes.”

9. His last major embalming experiment was a “new petrifying scheme” involving “the antiseptic gas process.”

From the late 1880s until his sharing of a “petrified arm” in 1895, Holmes worked to perfect an embalming method that would eliminate “danger from contagion” and use materials that could be easily and  cheaply manufactured and accessed. 

10. Authorities found various human and animal body parts in Holmes’ home after his death.

Eleven months after Holmes died in his home, police, “through the board of health” finally removed the specimens stored in his basement morgue. They found: “The mummified body of a male child, apparently 11 years old, with head, shoulders and arms missing. Had evidently been severed from the body with a saw and as hard as wood. […] The body was mummified to such an extent that a crosscut saw went through it like pine wood. […] The body was sawed across the bottom and then between the legs and spine […] With these remains were those of three other children. There was also removed from the place at the time two mummified bodies of monkeys and one head of a monkey.” Even more than a decade after his death, as authorities were demolishing the structure, excavators came across several “petrified toes.”

11. Holmes had several side gigs.

Although perfecting the embalming process was Holmes’ lifelong pursuit, he also dabbled in other businesses and inventions. One blogger wrote, “According to Mary Roach and her excellent book Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,  Dr. Holmes tried different ventures including opening a drugstore, running a health spa, and launching a root-beer business.” He is also said to have placed ads in “mortuary trade journals with his latest invention:  a canvas body bag that could also double as a sleeping bag.” And in 1895, he told a reporter that he was “about to organize a company for the manufacture of glass caskets lighted by electricity, by which the living can view the faces of their dead friends.”

With the world population continuing to grow exponentially, many major cities face a unique crisis: Running out of room for traditional burials. Houston Landing reports that the city of Houston may not have enough burial space within the next 50 years.

Due to this and a variety of other factors, cremation is steadily gaining popularity. What used to be an uncommon burial method has only grown over the years, as more options become available for human ashes scattering and cremation keepsakes.

If you’re getting ready to bury a loved one, you may be wondering, “Are people cremated with clothes on? Generally, yes. In this article, we will delve into considerations for cremation clothing, ideal clothing materials, and other cremation concerns.

Are People Cremated With Clothes On?

Unless the deceased specifically requests it, people are more often than not cremated with some form of clothes or covering. The type of cremation clothing varies depending on many factors, including:

Religious Funeral Traditions

For religious practices such as Hinduism, cremation is the primary method of burial. As such, the deceased wears the color white, which symbolizes purity. Western practices, like evangelical Christianity, may simply require more modest attire, reflecting clothing choices made in life.

Some religious practices avoid certain colors. In Buddhism, the color red is typically not appropriate for funerals, both for the deceased and guests.

Dressing a loved one may also be significant to one’s religion or culture. If you would like to participate in this process, consult with the funeral home to ensure you follow appropriate guidelines.

Family Preferences

If the deceased is not religious, their family may still want to designate cremation clothing. Often, the type of clothing is significant to the person who has passed away. It could include:

• Their nicest attire
• An outfit associated with a meaningful event
• Something comfortable
• Spiritual or religious clothing
• A sheet or shroud

Personal Preferences

The deceased may have arranged their cremation preferences ahead of time. If they have a will or last testament, be sure to read it and see if there are instructions regarding their final wishes. They can be as general as simply wanting cremation, to specifically requesting certain clothing and items.

A prepaid cremation package may also include mementos such as:

• A thumbprint
• Hair
• A photo
• Splitting and shipping of ashes
• Administrative processes upon death, such as filing the death certificate

Even if you do not agree, it’s vital to honor your loved one’s wishes and fulfill them if possible.

Funeral Home Policies

When you meet with the funeral home, ask if they have any restrictions on cremation clothing. They may not allow certain materials or offensive attire. If dressing your loved one is important to you, discuss this with the staff. It may be available for an additional charge.

Cremation Clothing Materials

Although cremation clothing policies can be very flexible, they also have some limitations. Clothing material can be hazardous when burned at high temperatures, so it’s important to consider the material of your loved one’s garments before making the choice.

Natural fibers, such as cotton or wool, work best for cremation. They are easily combustible and will not emit strong fumes or chemicals during the cremation process. If your loved one was eco-conscious, consider materials that are biodegradable.

Avoid synthetic materials, such as:

• Polyester
• Nylon
• Acrylic
• Spandex

Although these materials are often cheaper and more versatile, they can cause complications. The funeral home may disallow them outright due to the risk of harmful fumes and chemicals.

Before deciding on clothing or purchasing a new outfit for the deceased, ask the funeral home which materials they allow and which to avoid. You’ll save time and money while still honoring your loved one.

Common Questions Concerning Crematorium Practices

As with any burial process, cremation comes with a host of concerns and questions, especially regarding clothing. Here are some common questions you may want to ask.

What If No Clothes Are Provided?

In rare cases, there may be no clothes available for the deceased. They may be an unhoused individual, or the manner of their death may have ruined the clothes they were wearing. Sometimes, family or loved ones are unavailable or untraceable.

Funeral homes will often provide basic clothing in these cases, or a basic funeral shroud. At funeral homes such as Lone Star Cremation, it is important to treat every person with dignity and respect.

What About Direct Cremation?

Direct cremation is the simplest and often most affordable form of cremation. It means that the body is cremated shortly after death, and there is no:

Often, those who are directly cremated usually go through the cremation process in the clothes they were wearing at the time of death. Direct cremation is also a more environmentally-friendly option; no additional material is required for caskets, and embalming fluids usually are not necessary.

What About Personal Items?

Your loved one may wish to be cremated with items or clothing that were important to them. For clothing, it should be permissible as long as it follows the general guidelines of the funeral home.

Jewelry can be tricky. Precious metals generally have a high melting point, meaning they will likely survive the cremation process. However, your funeral home might require the removal of jewelry before the cremation begins.

Smaller items made of organic materials are ideal for creating with the deceased. Large items, or items made of metal, are usually not permissible.

Cremation and Clothing: Now You Know

Are you still wondering, “Are people cremated with clothes on?” The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that the type and style of clothing play a significant role in the cremation process.

At Lone Star Cremation, we guide you through every step of the cremation for your loved one. With a variety of pricing plans and prepayment options available, you can rest easy knowing your loved one has the dignity they deserve, even in death.

Do you want to learn more about the services we offer? Reach out to us today or visit the FAQ page on our website to view common inquiries.

Election Day Trivia: Fun Facts About Dead Presidents

Happy Election Day, everyone! Tomorrow our country will have elected the 47th President of the United States … finally. It’s been a long, strange trip of an election year, and no matter how you feel about the results, at least most of us can agree that we will be glad when it’s behind us. 

But while we wait for those electoral votes to be tallied, why not reflect on the more interesting aspects of the POTUSes who have gone before us — the dead ones, at least. We’ll start with perhaps the most popular bit of death-related trivia …

8 presidents have died in office

Four presidents died of natural causes: William Henry Harrison (pneumonia, 31 days into his presidency), Zachary Taylor (gastroenteritis from eating bad cherries), Warren G. Harding (heart attack), and Franklin D. Roosevelt (cerebral hemorrhage) 

Four presidents were assassinated: Abraham Lincoln (gunshot wounds), James A. Garfield (septic shock from infection from gunshot wounds), William McKinley (gangrene from gunshot wounds), and John F. Kennedy (gunshot wounds)

Reagan broke the death curse

For more than 160 years, many people believed that presidents elected in a year ending in zero would die in office, thanks to the so-called Curse of Tippecanoe. Legend has it that Shawnee leader Tecumseh hated William Henry Harrison so fiercely that he placed the curse on not only Harrison, but all future presidents — and year after zero-ending election year, it seemed to come true. Seven of the above-named eight presidents who died in office were elected in a year ending with zero, including Harrison (elected in 1840). Only Zachary Taylor, who was elected in the non-cursed year of 1849 (but died in 1850) was not a supposed victim.

Despite assassination attempts, however, Ronald Reagan (elected in 1980) and George H. W. Bush (elected in 2000) did not die in office, and if Biden (elected in 2020) can make it through the night, he will be the third president to break the Curse of Tippecanoe.

Reagan’s was the most expensive presidential funeral

When Ronald Reagan died in 2004, his seven-day funeral eclipsed John F. Kennedy’s $15 million goodbye with a total price tag of more than $400 million. But that tally wasn’t due to a solid gold casket or an extravagant crypt. Instead, the real cost of the funeral skyrocketed because then-President George W. Bush declared a national day of mourning, closing the stock market and giving all federal employees the day off, racking up those millions in internal expenses. (Fun fact: $13 million of JFK’s total funeral expense was the purchase of his burial plot in Arlington National Cemetery).

Presidents plan their funerals when they take office

According to the White House Historical Association, each president is “asked to attend to the strange task of imagining his own funeral service” shortly after taking the oath of office. They are tasked with selecting “personal touches that can elucidate their character and legacy on a national stage for the last time.”

Four presidents were buried in a Marcellus casket

The Marcellus Casket Company, founded in 1872, produced exquisite “Rolls Royce”-quality caskets until 2003 — including those in which four U.S. presidents are buried. Kennedy, Nixon, Truman, and Reagan were all buried in Marcellus caskets. The last casket to roll off the Marcellus production line was a “The President” model 710 — and that same casket is now on display at the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston. 

JFK’s first casket was sunk to the bottom of the ocean

Although President John F. Kennedy was buried in a hand-rubbed-500-year-old-African-mahogany Marcellus 710, his body first rested in a Handley Britannia casket from the Elgin Casket Company. The Elgin casket suffered so much interior damage during initial transport due to the president’s horrendous wounds that it was not fit for public viewing and was replaced by the 710. After more than one year in the possession of the funeral home that embalmed Kennedy, the Elgin casket was moved to the National Archives to keep it away from the “morbidly curious.” In 1966, at the request of the Kennedy family, the casket was buried at sea by the U.S. Air Force, who drilled 42 holes and placed three 80-pound sandbags in the box, then dropped it into the Atlantic Ocean, adding two parachutes to ensure it wouldn’t break apart.

Presidents are buried in only 18 states (and one district)

The 39 presidents who have died are buried in only 18 different states and the District of Columbia, leaving 32 states with no presidential plots. The state that’s most saturated is Virginia, which is the resting place of seven dead presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Tyler, Taft, and Kennedy. The only presidents who are buried in the same cities are father-son duo John Adams and John Quincy Adams (Quincy, Massachusetts), Andrew Jackson and James K. Polk (Nashville, Tennessee), James Monroe and John Tyler (Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia) and William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy (Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia).