Mycelium meets hemp
Mycelium is combined with locally upcycled hemp fibres, creating the natural material from which the Cocoon is grown.
Loop Living Cocoon™ · Mycelium coffin
The mushroom coffin, grown rather than made
The Loop Living Cocoon™ is a coffin grown from mycelium and upcycled hemp fibres instead of being constructed from timber, MDF or metal.
Poetic Endings was the first UK funeral director to offer it and hosted the official UK launch in February 2025. The Living Cocoon™ can be used for cremation, traditional burial and natural burial.
7 daysThe time Loop says it takes to grow a Cocoon in Delft.
45 daysLoop's approximate biodegradation time for the coffin material under ideal soil conditions.
200 kgFFMA-approved carrying capacity.
£1,450Price of the Loop Living Cocoon™.
What is a mushroom coffin?
It starts with mycelium
Mycelium is the thread-like network produced by fungi. In nature, it grows through organic material and plays an important role in breaking matter down and cycling nutrients through soil.
Loop Biotech combines mycelium from local mushroom species with upcycled hemp fibres. The mixture is placed into a coffin-shaped mould and the mycelium grows through it, binding the fibres together into a strong structure.
The result feels completely different from a conventional coffin. It has a pale, softly textured surface, integrated jute handles and no need for the varnish, plastic fittings or conventional construction materials found in many manufactured coffins.
The material
It does not try to look like a wooden coffin
The surface has its own texture and character. Up close, you can see that this is a grown material rather than a veneered or polished one.
That difference is part of what makes the Living Cocoon™ so striking in person. It feels quiet, organic and contemporary rather than rustic or decorative.
How it is grown
A coffin made by biology
Most coffins are assembled from processed materials. The Living Cocoon™ is cultivated: the material grows into its final form.
The form grows for seven days
The mixture is placed into a mould at Loop’s growing facility in Delft, where the mycelium grows through the fibres and binds them together.
It becomes a practical coffin
The finished Cocoon weighs around 30 kg, has six integrated jute handles and is designed to work with ordinary funeral practice.
After burial
What does “biodegrades in 45 days” actually mean?
It refers to the coffin material, under ideal soil conditions: not to the complete natural decomposition of the person who has died.
The coffin returns to the soil
Loop says the mycelium material can biodegrade in around 45 days in ideal conditions once buried in soil.
Mycelium resumes its natural role
According to Loop, the mycelium reactivates in soil and helps break the material down while contributing carbon and nutrients to the surrounding ecosystem.
Conditions matter
Soil type, moisture, temperature and the burial environment all affect biological processes. We prefer to describe 45 days as Loop’s ideal-conditions figure rather than a guaranteed timetable in every grave.
Using it for a funeral
Beautiful idea, practical coffin
The Cocoon is unusual in material, but it works with ordinary funeral arrangements and is suitable for cremation as well as traditional and natural burial.
Burial and natural burial
The Living Cocoon™ is certified for traditional burial and natural burial. We can confirm the requirements of your chosen cemetery or burial ground as part of the arrangements.
Cremation
It is also certified for cremation. As with any coffin, we confirm the operational requirements of the crematorium before the funeral.
Carrying
Six integrated jute handles can be used for carrying or shouldering. The coffin has an approved carrying capacity of up to 200 kg.
Care before the funeral
Loop states that it is suitable for funeral-home or home viewing, cold rooms and cooling plates, and that its water-resistant properties make it suitable for use in rain.
Size
Outer dimensions are approximately 216 × 75 × 45 cm. Inner dimensions are approximately 195 × 58 × 35 cm.
Certification
The Loop Living Cocoon™ has passed the Funeral Furnishing Manufacturer’s Association test protocol, with a recommended carrying capacity of 200 kg.
Inside the Cocoon
A bed of moss
The standard interior is deliberately simple: a soft bed of moss and a pillow. Other natural lining options are also available.
The moss gives the inside a very different feeling from a conventionally lined coffin and makes the relationship between the material and natural burial immediately visible.
What does it look like?
Natural, but very contemporary
The Cocoon does not try to imitate wood. Its texture comes from the material itself, so each one is slightly individual.
Loop currently offers two colour directions and several natural interior options.
Calm
The pale off-white version most people associate with the Living Cocoon™.
Wild
A warmer finish with brown, autumnal tones.
Moss
A soft moss bed and pillow are supplied as the standard interior.
Other natural linings
Loop also currently offers wool, organic cotton and hemp interior options.
The UK launch · 4 February 2025
When the mushroom coffin arrived in Britain
Poetic Endings became the first UK funeral director to offer Loop Biotech’s mushroom funeral products and hosted the official UK launch of the Living Cocoon™ in Forest Hill in February 2025.
Working with Katie Musgrave of Unruly Flowers, we transformed our floral studio into a forest-scape so the Cocoon could be experienced in a setting that made sense of the material: moss, earth, flowers and the idea of returning to nature.
Loop Biotech’s founders joined us for the launch, alongside funeral professionals and people interested in how funeral choices might change. The response was immediate. What looks strange when described as a “mushroom coffin” is extraordinarily tactile and beautiful when you actually see it.
“This is the future of funerals, the most exciting innovation in years.”: Louise Winter, Poetic Endings
Why we wanted to launch it here
Poetic Endings has always been interested in funeral choices that offer something genuinely different. The Living Cocoon™ combines material innovation, strong design and a practical funeral product. That is why it caught our attention.
Price & availability
The Loop Living Cocoon™ is £1,450
We can include the Living Cocoon™ as the coffin within a funeral arranged by Poetic Endings. We will confirm current availability, delivery and suitability for the funeral you are arranging before adding it to your estimate.
If you are considering a natural burial, we can also help you compare burial grounds and understand their individual coffin requirements.
Questions about mycelium coffins
Useful to know
“Mushroom coffin” raises very reasonable questions. These are the things people most often want to understand before choosing one.
Is the coffin actually made from mushrooms?
It is grown using mycelium, the thread-like network produced by fungi, combined with upcycled hemp fibres. It is not made from the visible mushroom caps you might eat. The mycelium grows through the hemp and binds the material together.
Is the Loop Living Cocoon™ really alive?
Loop uses the name “Living Cocoon” because the structure is grown through mycelium rather than manufactured conventionally. The finished coffin is stable for normal funeral use. Loop says the mycelium becomes active again once placed in soil.
Is it practical to use for an ordinary funeral?
No. The finished Cocoon is stable for normal funeral use. Loop also states that it is suitable for cold rooms, cooling plates and funerals in wet weather.
Does it really decompose in 45 days?
Loop states that the coffin material can biodegrade in around 45 days under ideal soil conditions. Real burial conditions vary, so we would not treat 45 days as an exact guarantee for every grave. The figure also relates to the coffin, not to the complete decomposition of the person who has died.
Can a mushroom coffin be cremated?
Yes. The Living Cocoon™ is certified for cremation as well as traditional and natural burial. We confirm the chosen crematorium’s operational requirements as part of the funeral arrangements.
Can it be used for a natural burial?
Yes. It is certified for natural burial. Individual burial grounds can have their own rules, so we will still confirm the requirements of the particular ground you choose.
How strong is it?
The Loop Living Cocoon™ has passed the FFMA test protocol and has a recommended carrying capacity of up to 200 kg. It has six integrated jute handles and can also be shouldered.
What is inside the coffin?
A soft moss bed and pillow are standard. Loop currently also offers natural wool, organic cotton and hemp alternatives.
Can the coffin be personalised?
Yes. Its natural surface can be left as it is, and Loop also produces biodegradable paints designed for its mycelium products. If you are considering decoration, tell us what you have in mind and we can discuss the practical options.
How do I choose one through Poetic Endings?
Tell your funeral director that you are interested in the Loop Living Cocoon™. We will confirm current availability and include the £1,450 coffin price in your written funeral estimate alongside the other arrangements you choose.
Poetic Endings · London
Would you like to choose the Living Cocoon™?
Tell us about the funeral you are arranging and that you are interested in the mycelium coffin. We can confirm current availability, explain how it fits with the funeral and include it in a written estimate.