Traditional burials often harm the environment due to chemicals, wood, and land use. A Dutch company, Loop Biotech, has created a fully biodegradable casket made from mycelium—the root structure of mushrooms—that breaks down within 45 days and enriches the soil.
The first North American burial using this mushroom casket took place recently in rural Maine. Marsya Ancker chose it for her father, fulfilling his wish to be buried in a way that nourishes the land he loved.
Since 2021, Loop Biotech has facilitated over 2,500 mushroom casket burials across Europe. The green burial movement, which replaces harmful materials with biodegradable ones, is growing rapidly. The Green Burial Council has recorded a 72% rise in sustainable cemeteries since 2005 and certified more than 250 providers in the U.S. and Canada.
Conventional U.S. burials consume millions of board feet of wood, gallons of embalming fluid, and tons of concrete annually. The Global Green Burial Alliance, founded in 2022, promotes education and connections to support eco-conscious funerals.
Loop Biotech founder Bob Hendrikx emphasises that their “Living Cocoon” casket lets people enrich nature even after death, reflecting a broader trend to rethink burial practices and reduce environmental impact.
Photo ©️Loop Biotech
