LifeArt: the new world coffin
by Eckhard Kemmerer: Head of Technology, The LifeArt Company Pty
When the people who are dying today were born, the world had 2 billion inhabitants. When the people
who are born today die, there will be 10 billion.
The world's urban areas, already groaning at 56 million deaths per year will need to find room for 93 million
deaths each year. To bury all of today's dead, every decade New York needs to find an area the size of
Central Park (3.4sq km), and most mega-cities face a comparable challenge.
Fortunately, Adam Smith's invisible hand is already guiding urban consumers to the lower cost of
cremation, aided in many markets by the more visible hand of legislated cremation.
As it turns out, the atmosphere is an even more finite resource than the land. Emissions from combustion
are predicted to cause a 3.5 - 4 degree C rise by the end of the century under the current international
pledges to the UN Framework for Climate Change.
It is in this environment that The LifeArt Coffin Company set out to develop the new world coffin for the
challenges of today's funeral industry. Burial coffins were simply not designed for cremation. When a
burial coffin is cremated it produces more emissions than the body it holds, a totally unacceptable solution.
The LifeArt coffin technology uses space age honeycomb materials made from recycled wood fibre and
sugarcane waste to build a light weight cremation coffin that has all the functionality of a traditional coffin.
Designed to carry 250 kg, the coffin can be refrigerated, transported by trolley, hearse, and pallbearer.
Through the manufacturing and cremation, it produces 65% fewer emissions than a similar burial coffin
made of MDF.
With over 10,000 funerals conducted with a LifeArt coffin, funeral professionals consistently report several
behavioural differences when a LifeArt coffin is used. Firstly, families report that the fear and anxiety
typically associated with choosing a coffin was replaced by supportive conversations. In choosing a LifeArt
coffin, the sadness of the death is cradled in the context of the persons whole life, as families engage in
conversations about the coffin that best represents the life of their loved one.
Secondly, funeral professionals report that while nobody ever talks about a traditional coffin at a funeral,
the presence a LifeArt coffin is the catalyst for many conversations among the mourners. Many funeral
directors report that mourners touch the coffin as it passes, something rarely seen with the polished timber
coffins.
Thirdly, funeral directors report increased turnover when they publicise the availability of the LifeArt coffin
in their funeral home. Many families bring newspaper clippings that the deceased had kept on file.
Finally, funeral professionals report a significantly higher uptake of pre arranged funerals when a LifeArt
coffin is offered, typically more than 50% choose a LifeArt coffin over a standard coffin.
Mike Grehan, the former Chief Operating Officer of Australia's largest funeral business is now the CEO of
The LifeArt Company. Mike says "we find the LifeArt technology is adaptable to any market in the world.
The coffins can be made in almost any shape, any size, and any finish to suit local customs. We have
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partnered with leading funeral businesses to bring the product to markets in Europe, Africa, Australia, New
Zealand and Singapore. We welcome approaches for distribution partnerships from leading funeral
businesses, and we can typically set up a new partnership within 60 days."
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