Everything You Need to Know About Cremation Caskets
Whether you are making arrangements after the loss of a loved one or preplanning for yourself, there are a lot of decisions you will need to make and many small details to understand. If you’re considering cremation, one concept you may encounter is a cremation casket. Here’s what you need to know.
What is a Cremation Casket?
At its simplest definition, a cremation casket is any casket that someone may be cremated in. It can be an ornate traditional casket or a simple alternative container. In order to be cremated, the casket cannot contain any metal. Rather, it must be all organic material such as wood, cloth-covered wood, bamboo, or other organic materials.
What Type of Cremation Casket Should You Choose?
Ultimately, the type of cremation casket you choose varies based on your personal preferences and a few other factors. If you are planning to have a visitation, you may want a traditional casket for the service, and to ensure your loved one can be cremated in that casket, you just need to choose one that is suitable for cremation. Traditional Jewish caskets, for example, can easily be cremated because all of the fasteners and the hinges are made of wood.
In cases where affordability is a concern, families can opt to rent a casket for the funeral service or visitation. An alternative container is placed inside the rental casket and removed for cremation. This allows families to have a more traditional memorial service without absorbing additional costs.
Are There Environmentally Friendly Cremation Caskets?
If you are interested in environmentally friendly options, there are a number of cremation caskets available. The best options are caskets made of natural materials such as wood, cotton, and bamboo, and if you want to minimize the release of chemicals, you may want to choose unpainted and unfinished options. You can also find cremation caskets made of recycled materials.
Do You Have to Purchase a Cremation Casket?
In most cases, a funeral home or crematorium will supply you with the basic essentials needed for cremation when you make your arrangements. You only need to buy a separate casket if desired or in situations, as explained above, where you want a special casket for the funeral or visitation.
When you arrange a simple cremation with us at Boston Cremation, we include an alternative container at no extra cost. If you prefer to arrange an open-casket funeral with cremation to follow, we provide the use an oak rental casket along with an alternative container for the cremation. To learn more or to set up a cremation and memorial service, contact us directly at (781) 322-0909 or fill out our online contact form.