Parley Green, which is part of Mauveworx in Ferndown, has launched sustainable cardboard coffins, looking to cater to families searching for environmentally-conscious funeral options.
Parley Green team (Image: Andrew Mathews)
During Covid, the company started to print cardboard toys for children, an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, as well as creating face shields for the NHS.
Shortly following this, the team got thinking about the large size of their factory, wanting to use what space they had and design larger cardboard products.
Andrew Mathews, from Parley Green, said that they realised they could make a ‘big difference’ by creating cardboard coffins with their equipment.
He said: “With climate change concerns at an all-time high, sustainability is now a major factor in funeral planning. We could make a big difference and we have the right equipment to do it.
“Now we are providing cardboard coffins and caskets to funeral directors all across the UK.
“We have developed really good quality and we wanted to show what we could achieve.”
(Image: Andrew Mathews)
Andrew added that many people have doubts when it comes to cardboard coffins, assuming that they won’t be strong and durable, but this is far from the case.
He said that people also assume the coffins will look ‘cheap’ and ‘flimsy’, but this is also incorrect.
He said: “Cardboard, as a material, has often been underestimated in terms of its strength and durability.
“However, it has proven to be remarkably sturdy and reliable, especially when used in certain applications. Although cardboard can sometimes seem lightweight and flimsy in its everyday uses that we are most familiar with, it is important to note that not all cardboard is created equal.”
As well as the coffins being eco-friendly, the business also offers customers the chance to personalise their loved ones’ send off.
Andrew said that families are allowed to decorate and customise the coffins with things such as family photographs, flags and even heartfelt messages.
He added: “It is growing all the time, we have grown since last year a massive amount.
“It has been really positive and a challenge to learn about the funeral world.
“We want people to believe that a cardboard coffin is a good choice and sustainable.”