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/.

Starmark® Cremation Products Acquires Chateau Urns

RICHMOND, IN, June 12, 2025 – Starmark, the cremation solutions leader, has announced the acquisition of Chateau Urns in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The addition of the Chateau Urns line expands Starmark’s innovative range of funeral products, providing more urn solutions to customers. 

Chateau Urns was established in 2009 alongside a cigar humidor company and became a family-owned and operated business in 2016. Brandi Combs, owner of Chateau Urns, recognized that due to the lack of options on the market for crafted display urns, funeral homes were purchasing humidors for their families to use as a memento set or a decorative piece to display on their mantle, reminding them of their loved ones. “This realization showed us the need in funeral service to create a more personalized urn with unique designs to represent loved ones passed.” 

“At the start of Chateau Urns, my primary focus was to create a meaningful product that would play a role in people’s most significant moments. We used high-quality materials, developed unique designs, and aimed to build a brand that was not just a business but a name that people could trust when they wanted to commemorate a loved one. There has been no greater honor than to be a part of those moments in someone’s life.” Combs shared. 

Over the coming months, Starmark plans to build on the already respectable reputation Chateau Urns has established in funeral service. Combs will work closely with Starmark’s team to ensure a seamless transition for Chateau Urns’ customers. 

Through this acquisition, Combs will continue to serve funeral professionals as a team member with Starmark, serving as the Starmark Local Account Representative for the Florida Region. Combs expressed her excitement for her new role, saying, “Like Chateau Urns, Starmark has also built a brand on quality, innovation, trust, and reliability, which is why I could not be more excited to become a part of the Starmark family. By teaming up with Starmark, I look forward to collaborating on creating products and helping funeral professionals focus on what matters most: allowing families to lay their loved ones to rest in a sensible yet dignified and respectful manner.” 

About Starmark: Starmark Cremation Products creates Sensible Solutions® for funeral professionals to help families honor life’s most meaningful moments with grace and respect. It is all about celebrating the lives of loved ones with dignity and care. This belief inspires everything we do at Starmark, allowing funeral service professionals and families to focus on love, legacy, and healing.  For more information, visit: www.starmarkcp.com.

Choosing the right memorial option for a loved one is deeply personal. For many families considering cremation service St. Louis, MO, selecting a keepsake that reflects the essence of a life lived with purpose and love is a meaningful way to honor their memory. Memorial urns offer more than a place of rest—they become lasting symbols that represent cherished moments, family heritage, and the unique individuality of a loved one.

At St. Louis Cremation, we understand how important it is for families to feel confident in their choice of memorials. With roots dating back to 1984, our team brings decades of compassionate experience to every family we serve. We’ve built our reputation on providing respectful, affordable, and transparent cremation services, ensuring that your loved one is cared for with dignity every step of the way.

The Significance of Memorial Urns

When families choose cremation, they often want something more than just a container. A memorial urn can represent the connection between generations, the values of a family, and the life story of the person it commemorates. Whether displayed in the home or placed in a special setting, these urns become part of a lasting tribute that brings comfort and peace. From classic designs to modern expressions, urns are available in a range of materials, including wood, metal, ceramic, and eco-friendly options. Many families also appreciate custom features, such as engraved messages, religious symbols, or personalized motifs that speak to a loved one’s passions or beliefs. These details turn a simple vessel into a powerful reminder of what made someone special.

Personalization Creates Deeper Meaning

One of the most heartfelt aspects of selecting a memorial urn is the ability to personalize it. Families may choose to engrave a meaningful phrase, include a date, or select imagery that honors a loved one’s hobbies, career, or service. These touches help transform an urn into a treasured keepsake that offers comfort through the years. We’ve seen how a thoughtfully chosen urn can bring clarity and healing to a grieving family. A musical note etched into polished wood, a hand-painted landscape that mirrors a favorite view, or a symbol of faith crafted in bronze—each of these elements carries emotion that words alone cannot express. When we help families personalize their choices, we’re not just offering a product—we’re supporting the healing process.

Balancing Affordability with Elegance

Many families worry that meaningful cremation options come with high price tags. But elegance and dignity don’t have to be compromised by affordability. At St. Louis Cremation, we’ve built our mission on making respectful and beautiful tributes accessible to everyone. That’s why we provide cremation packages with clear, all-inclusive pricing and no hidden fees, allowing families to focus on their tribute rather than their budget.When it comes to urns, this same philosophy applies. There are many elegant and meaningful options that fit a variety of preferences and budgets. Whether families are seeking simplicity or something more ornate, we guide them toward choices that align with their values, priorities, and wishes.

Choosing a memorial urn isn’t just about finding a vessel—it’s about creating a legacy. For families exploring cremation service St. Louis, MO, selecting an urn that blends elegance with meaning is a step toward healing and remembrance. At St. Louis Cremation, we are honored to help you create a tribute that brings peace and connection. If you’re ready to learn more about your options or begin planning a dignified farewell, we invite you to speak with our compassionate team and explore how we can support your family today.

Plot Plunges & Adoptable Urns | 4M #184

Welcome to the hundred-and-eighty-fourth edition of Morticians’ Monday Morning Mashup, 4M #184, 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!

Pallbearers pillage platform

Chances are your snickering non-deathcare friends have shared this video with you, but just in case, here’s footage of the worst graveside service ever: 

Amazing adoption idea

To celebrate the 175th year of Erie Cemetery in Erie, Pennsylvania, the city is asking families to “adopt” one of the many cradle graves and stone urns, filling them with flowers they can nurture all summer. Participants in the Adopt-an-Urn program will receive education about the cemetery and its inhabitants, general gravestone cleaning tips, and free potting soil, plus their pick of an urn or a cradle graves — plots that connect a headstone and footstone with a border, creating a cradle-like opening in the center — to care for throughout the growing season. 

Double trouble

A funeral home worker in Houston is being accused of stabbing a family member who entered the facility to take photos documenting what they believed was suspicious storage of their loved one. Details are sketchy, but authorities are investigating whether there was actually any wrongdoing on the part of the funeral home in regard to the 10 bodies that were in their care, although some reports state that the building had no air conditioning. The brother and sister who entered the funeral home to take photos and videos told authorities that they located their grandmother’s body, although she was supposed to have been cremated a month earlier. When the worker discovered the pair, he or she allegedly stabbed the brother. Police described the wound as minor, and the suspect is claiming self defense.

Transparency questioned

Families and the deathcare community alike applauded the state of Colorado when it (finally) passed legislation last year to regulate licensing and other aspects of the industry. However, a local news station has found that while the law created policies and procedures to increase the frequency of funeral home inspections, at the same time it removed the public’s access to the reports stemming from these visits. A statute allowing these reports to be made available to the public was “quietly” stricken from the text of the legislation when it was updated, and now families (and the press) are wondering why.

Postal predicament

Could there be some glitches in the new USPS regulations that were designed to make cremated remains more visible in the postal system? An Oregon family is in limbo waiting for the arrival of the cremated remains — and the death certificate — of a family member who died while on a Caribbean cruise. The remains and the document were shipped by a US Virgin Islands funeral home via USPS Priority Mail Express 2-Day service on March 22, but had still not arrived by April 4. The family has tracked the package as it traveled from VI to Puerto Rico, then Miami, then four other mail facilities in Florida before they reached Aurora, Colorado and then Denver, where they were last located. The USPS says they’ve located the remains and are working to get them to the family as quickly as possible.

December 23, 2024

Grief is a journey that no one wants to traverse, yet it is a path many will find themselves on when a loved one passes away. As we contemplate the profound impact of loss, it’s vital to recognize how we can reach out and support our friends during their times of sorrow. Understanding our role can foster connection and compassion, especially in a world filled with emotional challenges. When we think about navigating this sensitive subject, finding the right balance between offering support and respecting personal space is essential, particularly as families often seek services from adjacent resources, such as Rochester, NY funeral homes. Understanding Grief and Its Phases Before we can effectively support our grieving friends, we should take time to understand the grieving process itself. Grief is not linear and encompasses various emotions and phases: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. The upheaval following a loss can bring about tumultuous feelings, and it’s important to remember that your friend may oscillate between these stages throughout their journey. A critical way that we can help is by being present. Sometimes, your friend may need a listening ear more than they need advice. Allowing them the space to express their thoughts and feelings without judgment can be incredibly beneficial. It may be helpful to encourage them to share funny or touching memories they have of their loved one, a practice that can provide moments of solace amidst the turmoil. Offering Practical Support Helping a friend through grief also means offering practical assistance. Grieving can be an exhausting and overwhelming experience, leaving little energy for everyday tasks. Offer to help with simple chores—cooking meals, running errands, or helping keep things organized at home. Sometimes, just knowing someone is there, offering to shoulder some of life’s burdens, can alleviate the stress your friend is feeling. In addition to offering tangible help, suggesting options from local services can also ease the burden. For instance, if your friend needs support in navigating funeral logistics, it’s wise to mention reputable funeral homes, that they could consider, like Rochester Cremation. Knowing that compassionate professionals are available can bring reassurance and peace to their difficult journey. Creating a Comfortable Environment for Healing When it comes to helping a grieving friend, creating an environment that allows for open conversation is critical. While checking in on them is appreciated, remember to approach them sensitively. Each day might feel different for your friend, so the time you spend together should evolve based on their needs and feelings. Inviting your friend out for a walk—some fresh air can aid in emotional healing—might help distract them from their grief, although it’s essential not to force social interaction if they seem disinterested. The simplest gestures, like a text message to let them know you’re thinking of them, can go a long way, even if they don’t respond immediately. Respecting Boundaries and Understanding Signs of Need While offering support, it’s just as vital to acknowledge when to step back. Everyone’s process is unique, and not everyone is comfortable discussing their grief openly. Pay attention to their cues; if they seem withdrawn or if they indicate a desire for solitude, honor that choice. Encourage professional support if needed. Whether it’s suggesting a grief counselor or attending a support group together, prioritizing their mental health by finding professional help can be a game changer. Informing them about available local resources shows that you care and are looking out for their well-being. The road following a loss is fraught with challenges. Yet, knowing we can play a role in transforming a friend’s grief reality can inspire hope. In conclusion, as we support our friends during these heartbreaking times, let’s embrace compassion and understanding, remembering our larger community as we navigate the journey together. If you have questions regarding resources or services through Rochester, NY funeral homes, reach out for help. The existence of compassionate professionals at places like Rochester Cremation highlights that support is always within reach.

At US Urns Online, we’ve been observing funeral industry trends for over ten years now.

Our picks for 2025 trends reveal the normalization of some ideas that were once new and are now standard, and introduce other funeral service trends that are on the cutting edge of technology and creativity.

With the new year comes new expectations, and every family engaged in funeral planning this year will be more online, more adept at research, and will have more unique requests than ever before.

If you are in the funeral profession, are you ready?

Let’s take a look at the funeral options that will interest the families you serve in 2025.

Our website is supported by our users. We sometimes earn a commission when you click through the affiliate links on our website. See our privacy policy & disclosures for more information.

2025 Funeral Trends

As the New Year begins, we’ve collected our thoughts on the most important Funeral Trends.

Towards the end you’ll find some tips (for both consumers and funeral professionals) to get the most out of these trends in making final arrangements, planning funerals, and hosting memorial services.

Note: This article is updated each year as new trends emerge, preferences change, the industry adapts, old practices fade away, and new trends become common and expected services.

Personalization and Participation

In recent decades, industry trends have moved away from traditional funerals. Unique, creative personalization of the funeral service has become the new normal.

Along with making the service personal, families also are looking for ways to participate. This could involve open mics, dividing and scattering cremated ashes, making music or singing, planting seeds, releasing paper lanterns, and more.

These things aren’t news to anyone in the funeral industry, but, if you’re a funeral professional, awareness of what your clients want is the key to providing exceptional service.

If you’re a family member planning or arranging a funeral, this is a good trend to take into account while you’re thinking about what you want.

Remember, according to the FTC’s Funeral Rule, you have the freedom to choose exactly which products and services you think fit best with your needs and the individual.

Related: 55 Creative Memorial Service Ideas

Death Doulas

The relatively new profession of death doula (or end-of-life doula) is surging in popularity.

It’s easy to see why. Having outsourced dying to hospitals and funeral homes, we no longer have deep traditions surrounding the death process. Families and individuals feel overwhelmed and out of touch.

The doula is an informed advocate who helps the dying person think through their end-of-life wishes, the environment of their last days and deathbed, family involvement, rituals, and reflection on the meaning of their death and the legacy of their life.

Secondarily, the doula aids the family in how to interact with a dying loved one, planning together for what to do immediately after the death, and offers emotional support with a time of reprocessing with the family after the dust settles from all the funeral arrangements.

Expect to see more demand for end of life doulas this year and beyond.

Aftercare

Amber Carvaly, a licensed funeral director serving in LA, California, notes that families want to better understand how to remember and grieve their loved one after the funeral is over.

Now that web-savvy consumers are the norm rather than the exception, families are looking to the internet to connect with aftercare. This is an area that the local funeral home can step into with some creative partnerships.

Carvaly says, “I know that funeral homes are busy places. Rather than making a page that just says ‘Resources,’ funeral homes can put out an open request for pitches” from the community. You never know what unique resources are out there until you open the door.

That’s how Carvaly came across her side hustle. “I have been really excited about the growing interest in grief and cooking and have found that families have been responding positively to creating recipes [handed down] from their loved ones.”

Carvaly, who created and runs the Mortician in the Kitchen website, says that her site was founded on this very idea and notes that “more mainstream publications are beginning to publish articles about food and grief as well.”

What sort of aftercare resources will your funeral home feature?

Digital Memorials

In 2020, in this space, we predicted that virtual funerals and live streaming would be a growing trend. But we never anticipated the reality of what would happen that same year.

As the effects of the pandemic took hold, virtual funeral services exploded. Simply out of necessity, most funeral homes began to offer some sort of streaming service, or at least accommodation for it.

Now in 2025, live streaming funerals has become standard. Many funeral homes offer live streaming as an option, and you likely have family members who would be eager to help set up a Zoom, Facetime, Vimeo, YouTube, or Skype.

As this funeral trend continues into the new year, look for more services that offer professional live streaming for small to medium sized events such as funerals and memorial services. You’ll probably be able to find a streaming service locally by searching in your area, which will be a professional-level upgrade from Uncle Dave or Aunt Maggie with their cell phone.

Other digital memorials include virtual memory books and memorial websites. We’ve curated a list of the best free online memorial websites to honor your loved one, including ways to collect donations online in lieu of flowers.

Direct Cremation

Direct cremation is the most affordable mainstream disposition option. It’s affordable because all the body preparation and full-body funeral service options are simply bypassed – the body of the decedent is cremated “directly” after death.

The “direct” part makes this a very low-cost options, and that’s why you’ll hear about it more and more as an emerging mainstream funeral trend.

The advantage of this option, aside from the immediate savings, is that the family can hold on to the remains until memorial service, scattering, or funeral arrangements can be made.

This allows time for a custom cremation urn to be built, travel arrangements made, charter boat for ocean scattering to be arranged, chapel or community center to be rented, etc.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen more funeral homes own and operate their own crematorium, or partner closely with a crematorium, to offer direct cremation services. So while you may find some independent crematoriums, often you’ll get the same thing with a similar price by going to a funeral home. Just remember to shop around a little and compare prices.

Learn more: What is Direct Cremation?

Green Funerals

As consumers have become more aware of the effect we humans have on the environment, eco-friendly and sustainable options have come to be a priority for many.

This trend has been felt in the funeral industry, with the rise of green burial practices, eco-friendly cremation urns and caskets, and a growing sensitivity towards to issues regarding waste, renewal, and sustainability.

Here are some resources for green funeral products:

Here are some further resources for green burial and funeral practices:

At-Home Funerals

The DIY generation is learning how to do funerals at home. Advocates of the movement say it helps the family process their grief, as they are personally involved in taking care of their loved one’s body.

A “home funeral” cuts down many of the common funeral costs. And it can be much more eco-friendly, with simple freezer packs used to cool the body and slow down decomposition in place of embalming.

Help-at-home services such as Death Midwifery are becoming more commonplace as well, in which a “Death Doula” or “End of Life Doula” helps out with the home funeral in a similar way as a traditional midwife with home birth.

Natural Burial

Hand-in-hand with the DIY trend is the natural, earth-and-humanity-conscious trend. No more formaldehyde, no more expensive flowers imported from countries with horrible business practices, no more overpriced fancy caskets that just get buried in the ground to waste away.

For the final disposition of the body or remains, there are several options. You can use a biodegradable burial urn, an eco-friendly scattering urn, a bamboo casket, or even just an organic cotton burial shroud. The idea behind this funeral trend is to keep it simple, natural, and earth-friendly.

More: Natural Burial Guide for a Green Funeral

Local Reviews More Important Than Ever

Word of mouth will always be key, whether you’re a family looking for funeral services or a funeral home building and maintaining a reputation. The way that word of mouth recommendations are passed along, however, will change.

And it already has – online reviews are more popular than ever, and for many people that is the first thing they look for when contemplating any product, service, restaurant, hotel, etc.

Look for more funeral homes to find ways to get local online reviews, and look for more consumers to start their funeral arrangements by looking for online reviews.

Memorial Gardens

Community gardens are starting to pop up everywhere. This is a great trend that emphasizes community, eco-consciousness, giving, serving, and of course delicious locally grown and healthy foods.

A community garden can become a memorial garden (officially or unofficially) when someone donates land for the purpose, provides a memorial bench for an existing garden, or simply invites friends and family to spend time gardening at the community garden in honor of a loved one.

Gardening is a great physical activity that allows you to move at your own pace. It also provides something constructive for a spouse to do after the passing of their loved one.

Look for more community memorial garden ideas to come along, including compost-based renewal, special gardens for the scattering of ashes, memorial flower gardens, memorial vegetable gardens, front lawn gardens, and more.

More: 5 Types of Memorial Gardens

Advance Planning

There are many reasons that advance planning of final wishes and funeral arrangements is a smart idea. Among many other benefits, advance planning helps you to:

• Save on pre-paid services
• Save time, stress, and rush shipping costs on funeral products
• Choose details of your own funeral
• Keep your family from the stress of having to decide on those details at the last minute
• Plan something unique and personal
• Lay the groundwork for finalization of legal affairs

For these reasons and many others, advance planning is an important option for smart consumers. With an already-tight economy and the increase in Baby-Boomer generation retirees, look for many families and individuals to start advance planning in 2025 for their eventual need of funeral services.

For further reading, you may be interested in these three helpful books:

I’m Dead. Now What?
96 pages in a spiral hardcover, a well-organized and useful workbook to fill out with your plans.

Get It Together: Organize Your Records So Your Family Won’t Have To (7th Edition)
432 pages, a thorough and highly-reviewed resource book for advance planning.

When Someone Dies: The Practical Guide to the Logistics of Death
256 pages, trade paperback resource and guide written by a venture capitalist and lawyer who “made a series of agonizing and costly mistakes in squaring away her affairs.” This book is his guide to help you avoid doing the same.

Online Shopping & Arrangements by Text

Text is simply the way people communicate. With advances in technology, communication and purchasing have both become mobile-first even in the funeral industry.

You can now easily arrange a funeral by phone (actual dial-the-number voice calling, email, and/or text – usually a combination).

And even when meeting in person, families aren’t shy anymore about pulling out their phones and shopping for better deals, so the trick – for funeral professionals and consumers alike – is going to be finding the best ways to utilize online shopping together.

For funeral homes, this will mean keeping your prices fair and competitive while realizing you’ll gain back what you lose in immediate revenue by the low cost of social sharing and advertising.

Be open and honest. Let your clients know they are welcome to research further online. You can use this as an opportunity to showcase your knowledge, experience, and local understanding against the generic content of the internet. Doing so allows clients and families to truly value the services you provide.

For families, this means telling the funeral home staff that you found their listing online, keeping off your phone when it’s respectful to do so, and responding to the funeral home’s review requests or social media content.

You should also be aware that you are not required to buy everything through the funeral home; if you find something different or at a lower price online, you are legally entitled to purchase the cremation urn, casket, or other product and bring it to the funeral home to use.

You may find that more funeral homes are pricing their cremation urns and caskets at comparable prices to online retailers, and that this saves you the time and trouble of ordering and waiting for delivery.

The best place to shop online for cremation urns: Urns Northwest

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding funeral costs will remain a trend, especially in the event of an unexpected death. Fueled by the rise of Kickstarter and GoFundMe, there are many options for family and friends to raise money to help cover the funeral costs of a loved one.

Here are some of the best crowdfunding sites for funerals:

• EverLoved – This is our favorite, because first and foremost it’s a free memorial website you create in honor of your loved one. They also have a seamless donation button where people can make a contribution in lieu of flowers. It’s a subtle, classy option.
• GoFundMe – One of the most popular and familiar sites for crowdfunding. Thousands of funerals and legacy funds have been created through this platform.
• Treasured Memories – Crowdfunding network designed specifically for funding of funeral and memorial costs.
• Funeral Fund – Another popular crowdfunding platform where donations can be made to cover an individual’s funeral expenses.

Related: What to Post Online When Someone Dies

Community has become valued more than ever before as we deal with the affects of social distancing. Here are some ideas to promote community involvement and togetherness:

For Funeral Homes

• Donate a portion of sales to providing services to lower-income families
• Make donations to local charities and families in need
• Volunteer at community centers and events, or in local charitable organizations
• Rent out your location as an event center, and offer discounts for community events & low income families

For Families

Tips & Ideas For Funeral Homes

Here are some ways for funeral homes to stay ahead of the curve with these funeral trends:

Get a subscription music service, such as Spotify or Apple Music. This will give you the ability to personalize music for any service, and also add a comforting ambiance when the family is there to work on the funeral arrangements.

Create an app for your funeral home. More and more, everyone stays connected through their smartphones and they will be expecting your funeral home to do the same.

Look into other web services. There are many online platforms that can provide you with a creative service, such as hosting memorial websites, video streaming, follow up with review requests, and much more.

Look into other local services. People love local. Contract with local video editing and production teams, funeral photographers, caterers, florists, urn and casket makers, and others to add a local flavor to your services.

Offer home funeral guidance. If the home funeral trend really takes off, wouldn’t you rather benefit from it? Don’t be the cranky old business that resents customers buying things on the internet – adapt! You are the professional, you have a breadth of useful knowledge and skill, and you want to help people in a time of need. Create an affordable home funeral assistance program that includes a guidebook, a few recommended products, and a meeting with a funeral director. Send your interns or trainees to help. Offer the hearse, your reception area, direct cremation, etc. There are many ways you can effectively become involved in the home funeral trend, and while it will be a small revenue stream, that’s better than none, and your reputation will improve immensely.

Read and research. Subscribe to industry magazines and periodicals, such as the American Funeral Director and Southern Funeral Directors. Sign up for our newsletter, which features industry news along with interesting ideas, products, and inspiration. Read up on the funeral practices of other religions and cultures, especially if you find your local demographics are shifting.

Find creative new products to stock. There are thousands of new and trendy funeral products out there. People will be looking for them, so if you can keep on hand some competitively-priced memorial tree urns, biodegradable balloons or floating paper lanterns, have a deal with a local printer to print funeral invitations (“shop local!”), etc., your families will see you as an advocate rather than an adversary. Also, check out these popular memorial bird feeders, which families love.

Be open to new possibilities. As many consumers are getting more web-savvy, in combination with larger economic trends, many funeral homes are considering alternative revenue streams. Team up with food trucks to cater a celebration of life service, rent out the property as a wedding venue, or build a back porch and gazebo for BBQ memorial receptions in the summer months.

Tips & Ideas for Families and Funeral Consumers

Here are a few ways families and friends can use these funeral trends to lower costs and honor your loved one in special ways:

• Be aware of your rights. Read up on the FTC’s Funeral Rule and the helpful articles on the Funeral Consumers Alliance.
• DIY what you can. There are tons of online resources for DIY, which will get you involved and save you money.
• Let the professionals do their thing. The professionals, such as the funeral home, cemetery, and crematorium staff, know what they’re doing. If you don’t know or aren’t comfortable doing something, by all means have the pros do it. And remember to thank them!
• Don’t go overboard. One of our all-time most popular posts talks about shooting remains into the air as fireworks, having a Viking send off, turning ashes into a Frisbee, and more bizarre ideas. But how many people actually do that stuff? Don’t fall prey to the idea that you need to make the funeral some sort of over-the-top event. True, it is once in a lifetime, but you don’t need to do every unique idea or spend multiple tens of thousands of dollars. Personalize the funeral in one or two small ways, make use of one or two creative alternative ideas, but also remember to keep it simple.
• Ask about pricing. It’s not cheap or insensitive to your loved one to avoid getting ripped off. Ask about prices, call multiple funeral homes, and shop online. At the same time, the lowest price options are generally low price for a reason. Be sure to compare reviews and reputation when ordering an urn or choosing a funeral home.
• Remember to emphasize family and friends. Eat together. Share memories. Have an after party or a life celebration event. Make it fun. Don’t be afraid to let it be sad. Grieve together. Invite a ton of people to scatter the remains together. Don’t worry about the wrong color flowers. Get everyone involved – crowdsource the memorial scrapbook by asking for photos, throw a potluck reception, have your Aunt’s Etsy Shop make some DIY memorials, have the avid gardener supply flowers, get everyone a memorial cremation ring, a memorial bird feeder, or a plantable seed packet.

What are some funeral trends that you see on the near horizon? Comment below!

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