PREVIEW

WORDS BYLINE: Hayley Chamberlain

In a quiet forest clearing in rural Maine, a groundbreaking burial has taken place that could reshape how we think about death and the environment. Artist Marsya Ancker has just laid her father, Mark C. Ancker, to rest in the first-ever mushroom casket burial in North America.

This isn’t your typical funeral. Marsya chose the innovative Loop Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket, crafted entirely from mycelium – the root structure of mushrooms. The biodegradable casket, which takes only seven days to grow, completely decomposes within 45 days once buried, enriching the soil and nourishing new plant life. It’s a stark contrast to traditional burials that use harmful embalming chemicals and synthetic materials.

Marsya’s father, who had always expressed a desire to be buried in the woods, would have loved the eco-friendly approach. "My father always told me that he wanted to be buried in the woods on the property that he loved so much," Marsya explained. "He wanted his final resting place to nourish the land and plants he cherished."

While mushroom casket burials have been popular in Europe since 2021, this marks the first time the practice has been carried out on North American soil. The move is part of a growing trend known as green burials, a movement that aims to reduce the environmental impact of traditional burial practices. In green burials, harmful embalming fluids and non-biodegradable materials are replaced with natural, compostable substances that allow the body to decompose naturally.

The Green Burial Council, a nonprofit organisation that promotes environmentally friendly funeral options, has seen a dramatic rise in demand for green burials. "The growth we've seen in green burial has been extraordinary, from just one provider in 2005 to over 470 cemeteries across the United States and Canada today," said Emily Miller, Board member and Treasurer of the Green Burial Council. "As awareness of the environmental impact of conventional burials and cremations increases, more people are seeking meaningful alternatives that honour both their loved ones and the earth."

In the U.S., traditional burials contribute to an estimated 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid, 20 million board feet of hardwood, and 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete every year, according to the Green Burial Council. With the Loop Living Cocoon, people can rest easy knowing they’re helping the planet, not harming it.

"Funerals can be more than endings - they can be beginnings," said Bob Hendrikx, founder of Loop Biotech, the company behind the mushroom casket. "We created the Loop Living Cocoon to offer a way for humans to enrich nature after death. It’s about leaving the world better than we found it."

The Ancker family’s private burial service was supported by Wiles Remembrance Centers in Farmington, Maine, and took place on private land in Industry, Maine. Though the ceremony was small, Marsya hopes that by sharing her story, others will be inspired to consider more earth-friendly ways to say goodbye.

"The Loop Living Cocoon makes it easy to create a beautiful place of remembrance," Marsya said. "One that will bring joy and contemplation for generations to come."

Loop Biotech has already facilitated over 2,500 mushroom casket burials across Europe since 2021. The company’s products, including the Loop Living Cocoon, are certified for burial in both traditional and green cemeteries and are even suitable for cremation. It's clear that these eco-friendly caskets are making waves in the funeral industry, providing families with an alternative that is not only sustainable but also meaningful.