Picture: Heart and Soul Funerals
Musgrove Willows Coffins are makers of beautiful, handwoven willow coffins – also referred to as wicker coffins. We weave our bespoke wicker coffins using willow grown on our family farm in the Somerset levels.
An important question we are sometimes asked is: are wicker coffins suitable for cremation?
Can wicker coffins be cremated?
Wicker coffins are indeed suitable for cremation as well as burial.
The willow that wicker coffins are woven from burns at a high temperature and combust rapidly. Willow wood burns cleanly and reliably; so much so, that it is often used as kindling.
Although willow is a suitable material for cremation, another important factor in ensuring wicker coffins are suitable for cremation is FFMA certification. Any crematorium is well within its rights to reject a willow coffin that is uncertified and poorly made.
Back in 2017, Musgrove Willows received official accreditation from the Funeral Furnishing Manufacturers’ Association (FFMA). This certification means that all our handmade wicker coffins have been rigorously tested for weight, strength, and environmental impact. Our skilled weavers are even able to weave beautiful willow handles into a coffin, which ensures the coffin’s weight can be safely lifted.
If you order a willow coffin from us, you know it has been made to meet high industry standards and will be accepted by all good crematoriums.
An eco-friendly cremation choice
Wicker coffins are renowned for being a sustainable burial choice.
Willow is a very eco-friendly crop. It grows quickly and, once a willow bed has been established, it can be harvested each year for almost 60 years.
At Musgrove Willows, we practice a carbon-neutral policy, incorporating traditional farming methods and environmentally conscious land management.
Our robust, beautifully bespoke willow coffins are completely plastic-free. We use only non-toxic dyes to colour our willow, and every coffin lining is made from sustainable material. We can also incorporate wooden toggles rather than screws to make a coffin fully biodegradable.
Willow stretchers and direct cremation
Direct cremations are a simple cremation service, often completely unattended.
Direct cremations are low-key, lower-cost alternatives to more traditional cremation funerals. Our willow coffins are suitable for direct cremation. We also weave beautiful handmade willow stretchers, made with a natural calico shroud.
Our willow stretchers can be used to arrange a private viewing of a loved one prior to a direct cremation.
Musgrove Willows are proud suppliers of wicker coffins suitable for cremation
All our FFMA-certified coffins are suitable for cremation, and both traditional and green burials. We take care to ensure each highly personal willow coffin is woven to an incredibly high standard. We also invite bereaved friends and family to come to our farm and help to weave a coffin for their loved one.
If you’re a funeral director looking for a reliable supplier of handwoven willow coffins, please register your details with us to open a trade account.
