When Sydney woman Carolyn died, her family were looking for a way to bury her that reflected her life.
On Friday, the 70-year-old became the first person in Australia to be buried in a coffin made from mycelium – the underground root network of mushrooms.
It means that after burial, the coffin's material becomes part of the earth, nourishing the soil around it.
"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," her husband Donald said.
A coffin grown in a lab
The coffin, also made of upcycled hemp fibres, was grown in a lab in the Netherlands by the company Loop Biotech.
Founder and inventor Bob Hendrixx said the coffins took seven days to grow, and about 45 days after burial to be absorbed by the soil.
He said he came up with the idea as part of a university project.
"Five years ago, this existed only as an idea at Delft University of Technology," he said.
"Being here in Sydney and seeing the first Australian family choose it is incredibly special."
Carolyn's burial is part of a growing trend of people seeking more environmentally friendly ways of being laid to rest after they die.
Human composting
Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich introduced a bill in June that would pave the way for human composting in NSW.
The process places a body in a vessel with organic materials such as wood chips and straw.
Over several weeks, microbes break down the remains into organic material that can be used in reforestation, soil regeneration or memorial plantings.
Carolyn's funeral director Asha Dooley of Grace Funerals said an increasing number of families were looking for more sustainable burial options.
"Five years ago, very few families were asking these questions," she said.
'Almost whimsical'
"Today we're regularly speaking with people who want a farewell that reflects how someone lived their life.
"We believe this is the beginning of an important shift in the Australian funeral profession."
Carolyn's long-time friend Christine said it was "almost whimsical" seeing her resting on a bed of moss.
"It felt like she was already becoming part of the earth," she said.
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