Choosing the best casket material for your loved ones

The best casket material for your loved ones 

There is no one-size-fits all answer to the question of which casket material best suits your loved one’s funeral. It all depends on what the deceased person preferred, the value systems and principles they lived by and the kind of ceremony you are having to honor them. Of course, your budget also plays a key role in this decision.

To figure out which type of casket you should opt for when you’re planning a funeral for someone you love, you need to first get a better idea of the different casket materials used by casket makers. 

What are the different casket materials available?

Today, there are different casket materials available, like wood, metal, fiberglass and wicker, among others. For hundreds of years, wood was the most preferred material for caskets. However, around the 1840s, metal caskets first started to make an appearance. And now, nearly two centuries later, casket manufacturers have started to branch out and use alternative materials like wicker, fiberglass and even bamboo. 

Get to know more about the different types of casket materials, so you can find the most suitable casket for your loved ones. 

Wood 

Tradition is perhaps one of the key reasons for the unwavering popularity of caskets made out of wood. Being a natural material, wood has a rustic appearance to it. A good finishing can make it even more elegant. In addition to this, there are also various options available if you decide to get a wooden casket. 

Caskets can be made from either maple wood, which is known for its light and soft appearance, or from walnut wood, which has a darker and richer finish. Other types of wood used in casket manufacturing include mahogany, cherry, rosewood, poplar and pine. 

Metal 

The usage of metal increased tremendously in the late 1700s and early 1800s, thanks to the Industrial Revolution. Around this time, casket manufacturers also began to experiment with metals and alloys. Caskets made from metal quickly attained popularity due to the durability and the relatively inexpensive nature of the material. 

Steel, bronze and copper are three of the most popular metals that are used to manufacture caskets. Metal caskets can last for decades without undergoing any significant decomposition or loss in structural integrity. 

Alternative materials 

Apart from wood and metal, you can find other types of caskets made from a range of more inexpensive materials like fiberglass. It is essentially made from plastic reinforced with glass fibers. Fiberglass caskets tend to be very light and are durable to a certain extent, but they’re non-degradable and don’t decompose even after being buried for hundreds of years. 

If you want more eco-friendly casket materials, we at Titan Casket offer a wide range of biodegradable caskets made from bamboo, willow, cardboard, fleece, and even seagrass. 

What casket material best suits your loved ones?

To find out the answer to this question, you need to consider different factors. Here is a closer look at which casket material may be the ideal choice for the funeral you are planning. . 

When to choose a wooden casket

If your loved one had a penchant for upholding tradition and was a spiritual person who believed in the Biblical idea of ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust’, a wooden casket may just be the right option. Caskets made of wood are classic, timeless and even eco-friendly to a certain extent. You can also use them for both burials and cremations. 

When to choose a metal casket

If you are looking for a more durable option and want to prioritize longevity, this type of casket may be more suitable. Metal caskets come with thick exteriors that are rust-proof. You can even customize your metal casket as needed. Also affordable metal caskets makes an ideal option for ceremonies with a limited budget.

When to choose an eco-friendly casket

If your loved one lived a sustainable lifestyle and cared for the planet a great deal, they’ll be very happy knowing that you opted for an eco-friendly casket. Environmentally friendly caskets can ensure that you provide your departed loved one with a green end-of-life ritual. You could also opt for this type of casket if you want to host a ceremony that follows sustainable principles. 

Take some time to weigh your options and make the right choice 

In the days immediately following the loss of a loved one, it can be overwhelming to focus on things like casket materials. But this is an important decision to make, and it deserves your full consideration. Compare your options, try to understand what your loved one would have wanted and make your choice accordingly.