Loop Biotech’s Living Cocoon has been used for Australia’s first mushroom coffin burial, following a funeral and burial for Carolyn, a Sydney woman in her 70s, in the Blue Mountains. The coffin, grown in the Netherlands from mycelium and upcycled hemp fibres, was selected by Carolyn’s family as an alternative to a conventional timber coffin. The farewell took place in Faulconbridge, with burial at Springwood Cemetery on 4 September 2026. Grown in seven days, the Loop Living Cocoon is designed to become part of the soil in approximately 45 days under suitable conditions.

A Nature Centred Farewell

For Carolyn’s husband Donald, children, wider family and friends, the decision reflected a life closely associated with helping others and a strong connection to nature. The service brought together a personal farewell with a material designed to return to the ground after burial.

Donald, Carolyn’s husband, said:

“This is so Carolyn. She was always there to help others. It feels very true to who she was that even after her death, she can still do something for others while giving something back to nature.”

The family’s choice places regenerative materials within a setting that has traditionally relied on timber, metal and other long-lasting burial products. In this instance, the coffin was made using mycelium, the underground root network of mushrooms, combined with upcycled hemp fibres.

Christine, Carolyn’s very close friend since primary school, shared:

“When we saw her resting on the bed of moss, it looked almost whimsical. It felt like she was already becoming part of the earth.”

Funeral Choices In Focus

The Australian debut was supported by Grace Funerals, which conducted the farewell in Faulconbridge before the burial at Springwood Cemetery. The occasion points to an expanding conversation around how funeral arrangements can reflect a person’s beliefs, lifestyle and relationship with the natural world.

Asha Dooley, Managing Director & Funeral Director at Grace Funerals, said:

“Five years ago, very few families were asking these questions. Today we’re regularly speaking with people who want a farewell that reflects how someone lived their life. Families are looking for options that are personal, meaningful and environmentally responsible. We believe this is the beginning of an important shift in the Australian funeral profession.”

Carolyn’s burial comes as fungi receive greater recognition in Australia. The Australian Labor Party recently became the country’s first major political party to explicitly recognise fungi alongside flora and fauna in its National Platform. While the choice of coffin is intensely personal, the event demonstrates how biological materials can be incorporated into established funeral practices.

From Delft To Sydney

The Living Cocoon began as a graduation project at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, where founder Bob Hendrikx developed its first version. Loop Biotech has since introduced its regenerative funeral products in more than 12 countries, with more than 10,000 funerals and memorials using the company’s products worldwide.

Mycelium forms the structural basis of the coffin, with plant-based fibres providing the material feedstock. Loop Biotech also produces coffins and urns for people and pets. Its Australian milestone shows that the proposition has moved from an academic project into practical use across international funeral markets.

Bob Hendrikx, Inventor & Founder at Loop Biotech, reflected:

“Five years ago, this existed only as an idea at Delft University of Technology. Being here in Sydney and seeing the first Australian family choose it is incredibly special. We hope this gives families another way to leave something positive behind: a final gesture that also gives something back to the land.”

Australian Distribution Partnership

The product’s introduction has been enabled through an exclusive partnership with Arrow Bronze, an Australian manufacturer serving the Australian and New Zealand memorialisation sector for more than 85 years. Arrow Bronze is distributing the Living Cocoon to the Australian funeral profession, alongside local training, education and partner services.

Sonia Vachalec, Partnerships & Industry Lead – Loop Australia & New Zealand at Arrow Bronze, stated:

“Australians have a deep connection with the outdoors and the natural environment. More families are looking for farewell options that reflect those values. We’re proud to introduce the Living Cocoon to Australia and make regenerative funeral products available to families across the country.”

The partnership offers a route for funeral providers across the country to access a product category that has previously been unavailable locally. It also gives families a further material option when considering a service that reflects environmental values.

A New Australian Option

Australia’s first mushroom coffin burial is a notable marker for regenerative funeral products in the country. The event does not alter the intimacy of a family farewell, but it illustrates how material choices can become part of the story a family wishes to tell about a loved one.

For Loop Biotech, Grace Funerals and Arrow Bronze, Carolyn’s burial establishes a practical Australian example of a coffin grown from fungi and plant fibres being used within a conventional cemetery setting. For families considering their own arrangements, it adds a nature-based option to the funeral profession’s established choices.