Everything you need to know about wicker caskets

What Is A Wicker Casket? 

Wicker caskets are funerary boxes that are created by tightly weaving together natural fibers derived from different plants. Contrary to popular opinion, wicker is not a material, but rather a weaving technique that’s believed to have been first used in ancient Egypt. In this method, long thin strips of plant fibers are twisted and knit together very tightly to form different shapes and designs. 

Despite being made using thin strips of plant fibers, wicker caskets are surprisingly very sturdy and can support up to 350 pounds. Woven caskets such as these are usually available with a removable lid. Depending on the type of casket that you opt for, you can even get one without a viewing lid or with a lid that opens up to three-quarters of its size, making it suitable for both open and closed casket funeral services. 

Most wicker caskets that you find online or offline tend to have rounded edges. However, you can also find some models with four-point edges or coffin-style six-point edges. Also, many casket manufacturers now allow you to add colors to the fibers in a wicker casket, so you can customize them according to your loved one’s preferences.  

How Many Types Of Wicker Caskets Are There? 

There are four different types of wicker caskets that you can purchase nowadays, each made with a different material. Here’s what you need to know about them. 

Bamboo caskets

Bamboo is known for its strength, which makes it an ideal material for use in casket manufacturing. Made by tightly weaving flat strips of bamboo fibers, bamboo caskets are elegant and are created without using any nails, screws, or other metal parts. Depending on the kind of fibers used, the color of bamboo caskets may vary from beige to dark tan. With these caskets, you will not have to worry about sustainability, since bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth. 

Willow caskets 

Just like in the case of a bamboo casket, thin cylindrical strips of willow are woven tightly to form a willow casket. One of the great things about willow is that it is another very sustainable material, again similar to bamboo. It is fast-growing and can be quickly harvested without having to cut down the entire plant. Many people prefer having caskets made from willow due to the uniform natural light tan color of its fibers, which is aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 

Seagrass caskets 

Seagrass is a plant that grows entirely underwater. Some manufacturers tend to create caskets that use a unique style of interweaving seagrass with willow fibers. Others use seagrass rope reinforced with cane to make funerary boxes. 

The seagrass that’s used to make caskets is most often cultivated and farmed. This ensures that delicate marine environments are not disturbed due to over-harvesting of the plant. Caskets made using seagrass tend to have a pleasant natural dark greenish hue to them, setting them apart from other wicker caskets. 

Rattan caskets 

Caskets that are made using rattan tend to have an elegant light blond hue. Rattan is a vine that grows predominantly in many parts of Asia, Africa and Australia. Since the vine has been used for making furniture for a long time now, rattan has been pushed into the over-harvested category. So, it is not as sustainable a choice as other kinds of wicker caskets.

What Is The Cost Of A Wicker Casket? 

The cost of a wicker casket will vary depending on the size, the material that it is made out of, and the type of lid that it comes with. For instance, the price of small wicker caskets may start as low as around $400 and could go all the way up to about $2,000. In the case of woven caskets for adults, the price typically starts at about $800 and goes up to around $2,100. 

What Kind Of Materials Are Used To Create A Wicker Casket? 

Wicker caskets are typically made entirely of biodegradable and eco-friendly materials extracted from various plant sources. Thanks to the use of such materials, these caskets decompose almost completely within a few years, leaving little to no environmental impact. This makes such caskets the perfect option for green burials. And since wicker caskets are made from natural materials, they’re entirely combustible and can be used for cremations too. 

That said, not all wicker caskets are made using biodegradable plant fibers. In fact, there are some caskets that are made to look like wicker models, but are actually made from synthetic or plastic-based materials. These caskets are not biodegradable and do not decompose easily, thus having an adverse effect on the environment. So, if you’re looking for a wicker casket for your loved one’s funeral service, remember to ensure that you get one made from natural materials and not from synthetic substitutes. 

You can find a wide range of authentic hand-woven wicker caskets in different sizes at Titan Casket’s online store. Our caskets are fully biodegradable, made entirely from sustainable and eco-friendly plant materials, and are free from artificial materials like metal. This makes them suitable options if you are planning a green end-of-life ceremony.