A woman is helping people craft their own willow coffins in an effort to help the planet.
Sophia Campbell-Shaw uses sustainable materials to run coffin weaving workshops.
Woven Farewell gives people the chance to make a coffin for themselves or a loved one.
READ MORE: Rescue team save two runaway sheep from quicksand that had ‘set around them like concrete’
The hands-on experience allows customers to bring family members, including children, to help.
The process is said to reduce anxiety around coffins, particularly ahead of an upcoming funeral.
The idea stemmed from Sophia’s own heartbreak after the death of her mother and later her sister, who was killed in action in Syria.
Sophia’s unique, environmentally friendly business has seen her bag three prestigious awards.
Sophia received a gold award for Best Product and the silver award for Best Green Business at the Best Businesswomen Awards 2024.
She was also named the Best Coffin Supplier at The Good Funeral Awards, as reported by Need To Know.
Sophia now aims to take her business, which is based in Luppitt, Devon, to the next level by expanding to the East Midlands with the help of her passionate employee Abi Griffin.
Despite the funeral industry being dominated by men, Sophia boasts an all women team.
Woven Farewell is also working towards offering sustainable rental coffins.
A rental coffin is a coffin that can be used for a funeral service and then returned or reused.
Rental coffins can be a more affordable option than purchasing a traditional coffin, which can cost thousands of pounds.
Rental coffins can also be more environmentally friendly, as they can be made from sustainable materials like willow.
Sophia Campbell-Shaw said: “The funeral industry is a huge polluter.
“The estimated carbon emissions for one funeral in this country can amount to 400kg of CO 2 – that’s equivalent to charging more than 48,000 smartphones.
“The idea of renting a coffin may alarm some people but I am refining a product that will combine dignity with eco-credentials.
“This sector is slow to change but there is a real movement towards sustainability.
“To be recognised not once but three times for our product and green credentials means so much.”
People who have taken part in the workshops have given glowing reviews.
One stated: “It was special to spend two hours weaving as we talked about the mother who recently died, her story and her passions.
“The daughters appreciated time together to become familiar.”
Another said: “I found it moving to see the mother involving her four-year-old in weaving her mum’s coffin, as I knew it was a memory the boy would treasure for his lifetime.
“And that it would support his relationship to his granny’s death as something natural, normal, and not taboo.”
