ECOffins are very different: they encourage mourners to express their love and loss in a way that is positive and life affirming. By allowing mourners to share messages of love directly on the coffin, the wake becomes a celebration of the deceased’s life.

Even children, who are usually bored or frightened by wakes, find that they can participate by drawing pictures and adding decorations. This helps remove some of their fear and lets them learn to see death as a part of the cycle of life.

The end result is that each ECOffin is a unique display of creativity, love and sharing. Reading such messages is very comforting to close family and friends, helping them to heal in the knowledge of how the deceased was special and so loved.

For all mourners, being able to write a farewell message on the coffin is very meaningful. It a chance to say thanks and good-bye. Whether or not you believe in an afterlife, the process of leaving a message gives one the feeling that there has been a real communication with the person lost. It lets you express yourself in a way that is both private and public, in a setting where speaking words may be too emotional or difficult.

“I love you. I will miss you. Thanks for everything.”