In the Netherlands, living coffins made of mycelium and moss have been so popular that the manufacturer has had to expand production. According to Living Cocoon, almost 100 people have chosen the natural coffins, which were developed by company founder Bob Hendrikx, researchers from Delft University of Technology, and the Naturalis natural history museum.
The coffins take 45 days to biodegrade, enabling the deceased to “become one with nature again and to enrich the soil, instead of polluting it,” Hendrikx told Dutchnews.nl. Currently, the coffins cost €1,500 ($1,771). Hendrikx hopes to reduce the cost as demand rises, and to spread the concept to areas such as Germany and the US, where local materials could be used.