When you have lost someone that you really care about, your first thought might not be what you will bury them in. On the other hand, your choice of casket gives you an opportunity to honor the person you have lost. While there are plenty of fancy coffins on the market, choosing a coffin does not necessarily mean buying the most expensive coffin you can can find.

Eco-Friendly Coffins

While elaborate coffins and tombs have been in use for millennia, you don't have to build an elaborate monument to show that you loved someone. Sometimes the best thing you can do to honor someone is to make sure your choice of coffin respects the philosophy that guided their life. Thus, if you are buying a coffin for someone who lived in a green home and tried to live an earth-friendly life, then you should look for a biodegradable coffin. Many coffins are designed to preserve a loved one's body, but some people would rather know that their body is returning to the circle of life and the chemicals and minerals in their body will nurture future life. 

Painted Coffins

Another way to honor someone is to use their coffin as an opportunity to create a tribute to their life. For example, if you are having a funeral for someone who loved to fish, you can have an artist paint a fishing scene on their coffin. A simple pinewood box can serve as the perfect backdrop for a painted scene. 

Wood Options

If you are looking for a simple coffin, wood is a good choice, but you need to know that pine is not the only option you have. You can find many different types of wood from mahogany to walnut. If you are choosing a coffin for someone who loved working with wood or loved to be close to nature, then a nicely crafted wooden coffin might be just the way to go. 

When you look for a coffin for a loved one, it is important to know that funeral homes cannot deny you service just because you did not purchase a coffin from them. Thus, if you go to a funeral home and they don't have a coffin which fits the way you want to remember your loved one, feel free to go somewhere else, like Elmwood Casket Company, to find a coffin. In the end, feel free to explore less traditional options for a coffin if you feel like something is a better way to reflect the way your loved one lived.