There’s been talk about using fungi as a base for moulding coffins for years, so it’s good to see that it’s finally happening. And all the more so, becuase it’s happened in NSW, a state that usually drags the chain on new innovations.

This story by Jack Larkin, The Guardian, 7 Sept 2026: Woman laid to rest in coffin made from mushrooms in Australian first, is what we need more of in the funeral space – positive, earth friendly and life affirming.

Larkin writes: A woman has been buried in a coffin made from mushrooms in New South Wales in an eco-friendly first for Australia.

Carolyn, whose surname was withheld for privacy reasons, was laid to rest on Friday by friends and family at Springwood Cemetery in the Blue Mountains. She was aged in her 70s.

The mushroom coffin, created by the Dutch firm Loop Biotech, was grown from mycelium – the root network of fungi – and hemp fibres.

The coffin is grown in mould in a climate-controlled room, taking just a week to fully form. Once buried, it takes about 45 days to become part of the soil.

The process is akin to composting, as the body and coffin gently biodegrade and transform into nutrient-rich soil in far less time than a traditional wooden casket, which can take up to 50 years to break down.

“It’s about giving back to nature: we have the mushroom, which is grown and dissolves into nature, but the actual benefit is that … it’s enriching the soil,” said Bob Henrikx founder of Loop Biotech.

“The body needs to just return to nature and let nature do what it’s done best forever.

“If a kangaroo dies in the forest, it’s just going to be part of the cycle of life.”

Get the full story at this link: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/07/australian-woman-buried-in-mushroom-coffin-blue-mountains