4 funeral trends on the rise in Australia

When it comes to funerals, probably the last thing you associate with them is modern trends. But just like fashion, music and weddings, we tend to go through phases – so why shouldn’t your funeral be the same?

From cryogenics to sending your ashes into space, here are four funeral trends on the rise.

1. Eco-friendly: Green burials and body composting

More and more people are becoming environmentally conscious these days, especially with growing concerns about climate change and excess waste. In terms of funeral trends, there’s a popular new ‘green burial’ option that aims to reduce your carbon footprint.

With dozens of green burial sites – referred to as ‘living ecosystems’ – all around Australia, the process involves biodegradable materials, no coffin, no toxic embalming and either a natural stone or an indigenous plant as the grave marker.

Taking the idea of a fully eco-friendly funeral one step further is Recompose. The system is still in the scientific testing phase and is more common in the USA at the moment. While it aims to convert human remains to soil, it doesn’t involve cremation or burial. The guiding principle behind ‘Recompose’ is to gently return humans to the earth after they die, so it’s very much guided by a ‘full circle of life’ mantra.

2. Fun-erals: Putting the ‘fun’ into final farewells

Gone are the days of the traditional mournful funeral procession! The concept of ‘fun-erals’ is on the rise, with the main purpose being to celebrate the deceased’s life in a fun and often quirky way.

It’s not a ‘fun-eral’ without a personalised ceremony that showcases the true spirit of the person who has passed away! In fact, a recent survey found nearly half of people want to incorporate their favourite things into their ‘fun-eral’, whether that’s their life-long sports team, hobbies, musical tastes, favourite colours or more.

The best part about a ‘fun-eral’? There are really no restrictions. People are changing up the location – from dance studios to art galleries – using wind machines and DJ booths, and even incorporating graveside baristas for their final farewell. Watch this space because it’s likely that this trend will become even more popular over the coming years.

3. ‘New’ cremation: From diamonds to space travel

Cremation isn’t anything new – it may actually be the most common funeral choice right now with some 70% of Australians in urban areas opting for cremation. But some people are taking cremation to the next level with ‘new cremations’ on the rise.

These involve alternative approaches to body disposal, and the results are certainly eye-opening. One funeral director has already been asked about cremating a body and shooting it into space! Other people have requested their ashes be formed into diamonds or placed inside firecrackers for an explosive send-off.

4. Cryogenics: The future is now

When you hear the word cryogenics, you probably think about science fiction movies or Walt Disney. But it’s no longer such a far-fetched idea. In fact, a cryogenics facility in New South Wales is preparing to process patients in the very near future – an Australian first!

There’s plenty of scepticism around whether the frozen-in-time process can actually work, but that isn’t stopping people all over the world from investigating this futuristic technique in the hopes that one day they’ll be able to wake up in another era – like a real-life episode of Futurama.

Trends come and go, but funerals are a certainty for every Australian. You can ensure your family won’t be left with the added financial stress by organising funeral insurance today. It provides a lump-sum payout of up to $15,000 upon your death to help pay for your funeral – whether you want a traditional burial, cremation or one of the popular new funeral trends. Get a free quote today.