“I make my own burial shroud to avoid cremation pollution”

“I don’t want my last act on this planet to be a polluting act if I can help it,” Rachel Hawthorne explains.

She is preparing to make her own burial shroud because she is concerned about the environmental impact of traditional burials and cremations.

“In my life I try very hard to recycle and use less and live green, so I want my death to be like that too,” she adds.

Gas cremation creates an estimated carbon footprint equivalent to a return flight from London to Paris, and around 80% of those who die in the UK are cremated each year, according to report from carbon consultancy firm Planet Mark.

But traditional burials can also pollute. Non-biodegradable coffins are often made using harmful chemicals, and bodies are embalmed using formaldehyde: a toxic substance that can leach into the soil.

In a a recent survey of Co-op Funeralcare by YouGov, one in 10 people said they would like more “green” funerals.

Rachel, from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, made a burial shroud for a friend from local wool, willow, blackberry and ivy as part of her artwork.

Over the years she has explored the themes of death, dying, grief and nature through crafts and functional objects.

But the 50-year-old sees the shroud, which can also eliminate the need for a coffin, as more than just a work of art – and has since decided to make her own.

A common reaction from those who have seen the creature is to ask if they can touch it, to feel how soft it is.

For Rachel, it’s the perfect way to help people address the taboo subject of death.

She also works as a death doula, which involves supporting dying people and their loved ones to make informed choices about funeral care.

“I find that when we talk about death, everyone I’ve met sees it as useful and healthy and something that enriches life,” she says.

“When someone dies, it’s often so shocking. We’re just getting on the ‘here’s what’s going on’ treadmill, so I want to open up those conversations.

“I want more people to know that there are options and that we don’t have to be put in a box.”

The practice of digging graves 6 feet (1.82 m) deep dates back to at least the 16th century and is believed to have been a precaution against the plague.

When Rachel’s time comes, she wants a natural burial, which means using a biodegradable coffin or shroud in a shallow grave. The topsoil contains more active microbes, so bodies can decompose in about 20-30 years, rather than 100 in a traditional grave.

Natural burial grounds are scattered across the UK and bear little resemblance to conventional cemeteries – trees and wildflowers replace man-made headstones and no pesticides are used.

Embalming, headstones, decorations and plastic flowers are not allowed.

Louise McManus’ mother was buried last year at Tarn Moor Memorial Forest, a nature site near Skipton. The funeral included an electric hearse, a local woolen coffin and flowers from her garden.

“She loved nature and the outdoors. She was concerned about what was happening to the environment and asked that her funeral be as sustainable as possible,” says Louise.

Sarah Jones, a funeral director from Leeds who organized the send-off, says demand for sustainability is growing.

Her business has expanded to four premises since opening in 2016 with the growth of sustainable funerals fueling this expansion.

She said that from a “handful” of eco-burials, such requests now account for about 20% of her business.

“More and more people are asking about it and want to make choices that are better for the planet. They often feel that it reflects the life of the person who died because it was important to them,” she says.

As with many eco-friendly industries, natural burials can be more expensive. Many areas, including Tarn Moor, offer cheaper plots to local residents. One in Spitton, North Yorkshire, is run by the community and plows profits back into the village square.

At Tarn Moor, a plot plus services for Skipton residents costs £1,177. Non-locals are charged £1,818. A nearby city cemetery charges £1,200 for a grave, while cremation costs here start at £896.

Often away from urban areas and transport links, trips to natural burial sites or gravesites can result in a larger carbon footprint than more traditional sites, the Planet Mark report notes.

Shroud maker Rachel understands these concerns, but hopes for long-term change. She wants to see more local natural areas and to normalize environmentally friendly death care while respecting the choices of others.

“In the past, women would come to the family home with their shrouds as part of their dowry, and they would be kept in the bottom drawer until they were needed,” she says.

“I don’t understand why people can’t have a funeral shroud just ready and waiting for them.

“I think it can be so normal, but everyone should have their own choice. It doesn’t have to be a certain way.”