Biodegradable Casket Options: Shrouds, Wicker, and Natural Containers

Why Families Are Choosing Natural Containers

The average commercial casket costs $2,500 to $7,000 and is made of metal or lacquered hardwood — materials that resist decomposition for decades. For families choosing green burial or a home funeral, a biodegradable container serves the same purpose at a fraction of the cost while returning the body to the earth naturally.

The FTC Funeral Rule protects your right to provide your own casket or container to a covered funeral home. A covered funeral home cannot charge a handling fee for accepting a container you purchased elsewhere or made yourself.

Burial Shrouds

A burial shroud is the simplest and oldest container option: a large piece of natural fabric wrapped around the body, secured with ties or pins. Cotton, linen, and wool are the most common materials. Many families choose unbleached muslin for its neutral color and availability.

Shrouds cost $50 to $350 depending on fabric quality and craftsmanship. Pre-made shrouds with carrying handles — designed so four to six people can lift and lower the body — are available from green burial suppliers for $150 to $350. A plain cotton sheet from a linen store works just as well for $20 to $40.

During a home vigil, families often tuck wildflowers, dried herbs, handwritten letters, or photographs into the fabric folds before the body is transported. This collaborative ritual can be deeply meaningful for both adults and children.

Wicker and Willow Caskets

Woven caskets made from willow, seagrass, or bamboo decompose naturally and look handcrafted in a way that softens the clinical associations many people have with coffins. Prices range from $500 to $1,500, which puts them well below traditional hardwood but above cardboard.

Wicker caskets are rigid enough to carry the body safely and look distinctive at a home vigil or graveside ceremony. Some families find them especially appropriate for outdoor services or woodland burial grounds.

Cardboard Cremation Containers

Corrugated cardboard containers are the most affordable rigid option at $50 to $200. Before purchasing or building one, ask the crematory whether it accepts a cardboard container and what construction requirements apply. Some families turn the plain exterior into a collaborative art project — visitors write messages, children draw pictures, and mourners press handprints onto the surface during the vigil.

A more detailed look at how cardboard caskets work for home funerals is in our cardboard casket guide.

Pine and Plywood Caskets

A simple pine box — flat-sided, unfinished, no lining — costs $50 to $350. Orthodox Jewish tradition requires this type of construction: the aron is made entirely of wood with no metal fasteners, symbolizing equality in death. Some families build their own using basic carpentry skills and dimensional lumber from a hardware store.

What to Choose

The right container depends on your method of disposition:

For green burial in a natural cemetery, shrouds or wicker caskets are typical. Most natural burial grounds prohibit metal, concrete vaults, and treated wood.

For cremation after a home vigil, a cardboard container is the most practical choice — it burns cleanly and costs very little.

For conventional cemetery burial, check whether the cemetery requires a vault or grave liner. Many do, and a biodegradable casket inside a concrete vault defeats the ecological purpose. If the cemetery allows vault-free burial, any of these options works.

The Home Funeral / Family-Directed Guide includes a container comparison worksheet that walks through the decision based on your disposition method, budget, and state requirements.