Loop introduces new 'living' coffin which turns human flesh into compost

Loop

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Loop Biotech, the company which created a ‘living coffin’ in 2020, has created an improved and more organic version of its living cocoon.

Called the Loop Living Cocoon, the new design fits better in nature with its round, organic shapes instead of tight square customization explained the company in a press release sent to Interesting Engineering.

The new design is smoother than the previous rugged rectangular one. Loop Biotech can grow 500 of these coffins each month. The living cocoon costs approximately $1,064 and is available for shipment across Europe.

The company became all the rage three years ago with its sustainable and eco-conscious funeral products, going on to win several design awards.

"One of Loop Biotech's visions is to make its line of products as broad as possible and for every budget to maximize positive climate impact," said the company, as it announced that the new coffin is much cheaper than the one released in 2020. Apart from its key product, the startup has also launched a fully biodegradable urn and cot.

As an alternate option to the coffin, the company introduced a cot called the Loop ForestBed, in which the dead are wrapped in biodegradable cloth and put in an open-top coffin. This is a good option for those who may not want a closed casket.

Loop

Another addition is the Loop EarthRise, an urn shaped like the trunk of a tree and has a lid on top in which a sapling can be planted. It is designed to completely reintegrate into nature and is symbolic of the "continued growth of the deceased in the form of a tree."

Loop

"We are growing a new generation of products that enrich life and nature. To make our planet livable for current and future generations," said Bob Hendrikx, founder of Loop Biotech.

The company uses Mycelium, which comes from the roots of mushrooms, to create its products. Mycelium is a living organism that has the ability to neutralize all kinds of toxic substances at the same time as providing nutrition to everything that grows above the ground, as was reported by Interesting Engineering in 2020. Mycelium is a naturally fire-resistant material.

Loops’ cocoon allows for a dead body to compost faster than it would in a wooden coffin. The biggest plus is that Mycelium is neither derived from petroleum nor food, which helps in keeping the cocoon's environmental impact to a minimum.

In a traditional wooden coffin, the body can take over a decade to decompose, given that it's surrounded by varnish, metal parts, and synthetic clothing.