They include “Mourn” by Studio Nienke Hoogvliet, which comprises a cremation urn made from the biodegradable bioplastic polyhydroxyalkanoates. The cone-shape container releases the ashes slowly into nature as it breaks down. Next, egg-shaped pod Capsula Mundi houses a corpse in the fetal position in biodegradable material. A tree is then planted above the burial site.
Leaves by Shaina Garfield employs fungus to quickly decompose a body wrapped in natural cotton and laid on a wood surface, while Barcelona’s Bios Urn employs an incubator with cremated remains, a tree seed, and a self-watering system. It even includes a smartphone app so the bereaved can monitor the tree’s progress.