I have seen this done, and it was quite lovely! If the deceased isn’t a fan of flowers, instead of sprinkling the cardboard box with petals, have everyone write farewell messages on sticky notes and place them on the box. Families will also line the casket with a soft down comforter or blanket and maybe a pure cotton pillow. I have often seen them covered in wildflowers and boughs from the woods. Since these can look utilitarian, family and friends could be encouraged to decorate them using toxic-free colored markers, nonplastic stickers, family photos, and pictures of their loved one’s favorite things and places. These are used mainly for cremations, but they will work for a burial as long as there is a board underneath to keep the container rigid while lowering into the grave. Both materials are strong enough to hold a body and are rather eco-friendly. Other Green Burial Containers Cardboard and Fiberboard ContainersĪ very modest, low-priced option for a green burial container is fiberboard or cardboard. (See figure 4.)įigure 4 Illustration designed by Pashta MaryMoon and adapted for The Green Burial Guidebook. Finally, when you feel ready, tightly tuck the flap over the face and tie the strap firmly around the neck. The tie should go over the hands/wrists to secure the arms into place. Move up to the waist area and slide a strap under the body and tie it firmly in the front. Start with the feet: securely tie a strap around the lower calves/ankles, making sure all the material is still tucked in and smooth. If not, use rope, cotton ties, or any other natural textile that can be used as straps. If you have extra material left over, cut it into strips long enough to tie around the shroud. (See figure 3.)įigure 3 Illustration designed by Pashta MaryMoon and adapted for The Green Burial Guidebook. The body should appear cocoon-like and cozy. Do the same with the extra fabric from the other side, and tuck that piece completely under the shroud. Wrap the extra fabric from one side across the body, and tuck it underneath. (See figure 2.)įigure 2 Illustration designed by Pashta MaryMoon and adapted for The Green Burial Guidebook. Next, fold the extra material above the head down toward the chest. (See figure 1.)įigure 1 Illustration designed by Pashta MaryMoon and adapted for The Green Burial Guidebook.įold the extra material below the feet up onto the legs. Spread out the fabric on the work surface, and position the body on top of it. Preferably, the body will be naked, or it may be dressed in natural-fiber (biodegradable) clothing or already wrapped in a sheet. A table, a bed, or the floor can work well, although the floor can be problematic if the body is heavier. Work on a clean, flat surface large enough to hold the body and with enough space around it that you and any helpers will be able to move around it as necessary. Cut the material into a square large enough that the body can be placed on it with the head at one corner and the feet at the opposite corner, with twelve to twenty-four inches of extra fabric above the head and below the feet. Find a piece of 100 percent biodegradable fabric, such as natural or organic cotton, wool, linen, silk, bamboo fleece, muslin, cheesecloth, hemp, cashmere, or jute. These basic instructions will give you an idea of how easy and satisfying making your own shroud can be. Therefore, hiring a last-minute shroud maker or seamstress isn’t always feasible. Most families need some sort of shroud fairly quickly after a death has occurred. How to Make a Green Burial ShroudĪ shroud can be simple or elaborate, a single piece of material or a hand-sewn masterpiece. Cemeteries have the right to decide what they will allow to be buried on their property. Tip: If your green burial isn’t on private property, be sure to check with your chosen cemetery about the type of container you’re planning to use. If you would like to design your own burial shroud, follow the simple instructions below. A few ropes make an awkward support for a floppy human bundle. If you plan to bury someone in only a shroud, do heed my warning above: Place some sort of board under the body for lowering into the grave. Previously used fabrics, like wall tapestries and linen tablecloths, also can work well. Great! As long as it is made out of something 100-percent biodegradable (such as cotton, wool, silk, and so on), that makes for an ideal green burial. The Green Burial Council declares that a “shroud is suitable for a green burial if it’s made from materials/substances that are nontoxic and readily biodegradable.” A shroud-wrapped body can be placed inside a casket or directly into a grave.įamilies often tell me their loved one wants to be wrapped in a basic sheet, comforter, or blanket. A burial shroud is simply any piece of fabric used to wrap a body.
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