What if we were wrapped, rather than boxed?

I believe shrouds can offer us a soulful alternative to traditional coffins.

• A shroud is simply a piece of fabric wrapped around the body and used to carry it to the place of burial or cremation, often with the addition of some kind of cradle or bier to give support.

• A shroud is soft, rather than the hard edges of a coffin.

• A shroud is closed by wrapping, tying or sewing, rather than with nails or screws.

• A shroud offers us an opportunity for ritual care of the body, a chance to honour and say goodbye in an intimate and ancient way.

In using shrouds we can be kinder to the earth, using only what is needed and what can be gathered nearby, rather than shipping materials like veneered MDF or virgin hardwood half way around the world, only to be buried or burnt.

In a natural burial, a coffin presents a barrier between the microbes of the body and the microbes of the soil, slowing things down and creating air pockets in the soil. A shroud can enhance the reunion of the biomass of the body with the earth.

If you are interested in having a shroud, or talking about shrouds, please get in touch.

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I would love to hear from you.

The Luddenden Shroud is a hand felted woollen shroud with a cradle made from foraged ivy, willow, holly and bramble. I made it in 2024 as a commissioned art work - find out more.

The shroud is pictured here at Natural Endings, Todmorden.

The shroud and I were featured in a BBC article about natural burial and eco funerals. The piece aired on BBC Look North and BBC Breakfast on 16th and 17th December 2024. Watch it here.