A Canvas for Memories: How to Personalise a Cardboard Coffin
A big reason why we started Sunset Funeral Care was to offer unique options for families to celebrate a life in an authentic way. While more traditional elements of a funeral (like a eulogy or a photo tribute) are good ways to reflect on a life, there are plenty of other less-common ways that can really deepen the whole experience. Coffin decoration is one such way. Cardboard coffins are becoming increasingly popular due to their eco-friendly and budget-friendly status, but also because they provide a perfect blank canvas for storytelling and reflection. The tactile act of decorating a coffin can also be an incredibly therapeutic and healing process for those grieving.
Why Choose a Cardboard Coffin?
Cardboard caskets like Daisybox or Outside-the-box are a fraction of the cost of a traditional coffin and, because they are built from biodegradable cardboard, no harsh formaldehydes or plastics are used meaning they are usually more eco-friendly as well. Unlike traditional high-gloss wood, cardboard naturally invites personalisation as the surface will happily take markers, paint, crayons, pencils and many other materials and forms of decoration.
How to do it
There is no set way to approach coffin decoration - it’s only limited by your imagination. Here are a few ways you might consider:
The Farewell Message Canvas: The surface is left bare so family and friends can write personal messages, memories, or signatures at the service (like a giant guestbook).
The Photo Collage: Photos of favorite memories, family albums or landscape photos of places they loved.
The Artistic Tribute: Painting a favorite scene or letting children add their handprints and drawings.
The Wrap: Using meaningful textiles, quilts, or natural burlap to wrap or drape the coffin.
Given that coffin decoration is very personal to the individual participating in it, we encourage a combination of the above depending on what feels right for each person.
Involving the Community (The Healing Process)
One of the beautiful things about relationships is that every person we know sees a slightly different perspective of us. Coffin decoration allows everyone who takes part the opportunity to reflect their unique perspective of the deceased person, creating a beautiful mosaic that together makes a whole.
Decoration can take place either prior to or during a ceremony. Decoration prior to the ceremony gives a very intimate and unhurried chance to bring close family and friends together, while having decoration as part of a ceremony is a great way for guests to be actively involved in proceedings and can provide a sense of shared experience and support. Coffin decoration is also a good way to involve children in the process, allowing them to participate in a gentle, hands-on way while coming to terms with the reality of the situation.
Final thoughts
While we’ve provided a few options on how to do it, ultimately there is no set way to approach coffin decoration - it’s completely up to you which is what makes it so powerful. Few other funeral elements offer the creativity, personalisation and ability to involve and bring people together during what can be a very difficult process.
Whichever way you choose to do it, Sunset Funeral Care is here to support these unique, tailored choices every step of the way. Please get in touch with us if you’d like to explore what's possible.
