2024 Mushroom Burial Suit for Green Burial
last updated on March 26, 2024Have you heard of a mushroom burial suit for green burial? The mushroom burial suit or Infinity Suit is a new concept in green burial. It started gaining popularity in 2016.
The idea of a mushroom burial suit is the brainchild of artist and entrepreneur Jae Rhim Lee who studied mycoremediation – the science of using fungi to assist in metabolic decay. She discovered that certain mushrooms naturally decompose pesticides, heavy metals, and pharmaceutical waste.
Lee, the founder of Infinity Burial Project, worked to find a hybrid mushroom that decomposes bodies quickly and remediates the toxins we accumulate over a lifetime while transitioning the body into nutrient-rich soil through decomposition. She found the best mushroom variety by feeding her nails, skin cells, and hair as food to the mushroom.
The infinity mushroom suit she developed aims to make decomposition quicker, remediate the toxins in the body, and deliver essential nutrients to plant roots.
The mushroom burial suit was born out of her three passions: science, art, and fashion. She debuted her idea of the infinity suit at a fashion show at the Boston Museum of Science in 2008.
Lee also delivered a TED Talk in 2011. However, the suit has been available since 2016 on Coeio.com’s website.
Beverly Hills, 90210 actor Luke Perry who suffered a massive stroke on March 4, 2019, and died at age 52, was buried in a mushroom burial suit. Luke Perry’s daughter revealed on Instagram that they buried her dad in a biodegradable mushroom suit from Coeio.com upon his request.
FOR EASIER NAVIGATION:
- Why Is There A Need For Green Burial?
- What Is A Mushroom Burial Suit?
- How Does The Mushroom Burial Suit Work?
- Mushroom Burial Suit For Green Burial
- How Much Does A Mushroom Burial Suit Cost?
- Buying Mushroom Burial Suit
- Is Mushroom Burial Suit For You?
- Additional Mushroom Burial Suit Questions & Answers
Why Is There A Need For Green Burial?
The issue of death and decomposition makes a lot of people cringe.
Our denial of death makes embalming and cremation a $20 billion funeral industry. And, it’s continuing to grow to give us aesthetic interment and make us look like sleeping.
After a lifetime of eating and environmental exposure, our body contains high toxins.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are 219 toxic pollutants in our bodies. This includes bisphenol A, pesticides, flame retardants, heavy metals, dry cleaning residues, and many others. When we die, these toxic pollutants in our bodies leach to the soil and contaminate the soil and groundwater.
While we are living, our daily living practices often harm the environment. Additionally, our bodies can continue to impact our planet negatively when we die.
First, from these toxic pollutants in our body, and second from standardized funeral practices.
There are two traditional funeral practices:
1. Burial
2. Cremation.
Tradition funeral practices such as embalming and cremation contribute to our carbon footprint when we die.
When we choose to be buried, our bodies will be drained of blood and injected with formaldehyde, methanol, and other solvents to prevent our bodies from decaying.
There are approximately 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid used for embalming each year. 827,060 gallons of that are methanol, formaldehyde, and benzene.
The embalming only slows the decomposition process, but we will eventually decompose. And all these chemicals are then released into the soil during the decomposition process despite the caskets.
Additionally, caskets and vaults use 20 million board feet of wood, mostly rainforest wood. Sixty-four thousand five hundred tons of steel, 17,000 tons of copper, bronze leach copper, iron, lead, cobalt, and zinc into the soil.
Cremation is not a better funeral alternative. This process uses 28 gallons of fossil fuel to reach 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours to turn a single body into ashes. Cremation releases dioxin, nitrogen oxide, and mercury into the air. Acid rain contains these same chemicals.
What’s more, funeral services have skyrocketed over the years!
In 1960 the average funeral cost was $706. Today, the average casket funeral costs between $8,000 and $12,000. For this reason, about 43% of Americans today choose to be cremated. Cremation costs between $1,000 to $5,000 including the funeral costs.
Green burials are burial practices with low environmental impact. Green burials also leave a smaller harmful footprint on the planet. A green burial’s main objective is to conserve natural resources and preserve the environment.
Green burials mean your body will be interred in the ground without using a vault and casket. It also doesn’t involve embalming fluids like formaldehyde, making the dying process greener.
Many environmentally conscious Americans look for a sustainable way of laying themselves and their loved ones to rest.
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, more than 53.8% of Americans are interested in green burial because of its environmental benefits and cost savings.
Green burial helps people transition out of this world with a small carbon footprint.
Other companies have also attempted to address this environmental issue with flameless cremation (resomation) using alkaline hydrolysis to break down the remains rapidly. Human composting or recomposition is another green burial alternative that has beneficial effects since it addresses space issues in rural areas.
The Infinity Burial Suit or mushroom burial suit is one of the most remarkable in the green burial industry because it addresses the toxins in our bodies.
The mushroom suit eliminates the need for hazardous formaldehyde and GHG-emitting cremation. The mushroom suit also does not require a casket, which is more eco-friendly. It is also wallet-friendly because the cost is significantly lower than the average funeral and less expensive than cremating a body.
What Is A Mushroom Burial Suit?
Mushroom burial suit or Infinity Burial Suit is a handcrafted organic cotton suit infused with a bio mix of mushroom mycelium and other microorganisms worn by the deceased.
Coeio, a New York-based company, manufactures the mushroom suit.
This suit contains mushroom spores and other elements embedded in the fabric containing nutrient-rich jelly, which dissolves quickly and becomes food for the growing mushroom. It will quickly decompose the body, neutralize toxins accumulate over a lifetime before it leaches into the soil, and transfer nutrients to plants.
People who buy this suit choose not to use a casket in favor of direct burial on the ground. Burial is recommended within 24 hours unless the body is refrigerated. The suggested burial depth for mushroom suit burial is only 4 feet, which ensures that the mushroom will germinate perfectly.
Once buried in a mushroom suit, the bio mix of mushrooms will begin to grow from your body, helping you decompose your body while eliminating toxins. The toxins will be turned into enzymes that feed plant forms and enrich the earth. This process saves energy and resources.
A mushroom burial suit is a biodegradable way to leave this world.
The infinity suit causes less pollution and environmental damage than a traditional burial. This natural decomposition process won’t trickle into the water supply or contaminate plant life.
How Does The Mushroom Burial Suit Work?
The mushrooms embedded in the suit will start working 24 hours after it’s worn by the deceased. The mushroom will break down the body by emitting enzymes.
The fungi will deactivate the toxins in the body after biosorption while chelating heavy metals, which are unhealthy sources of pollutants.
Mycoremediation is the process by which mushrooms remove toxic contaminants from the environment.
The mushrooms break down organic toxins by breaking molecular bonds, which neutralize toxins and break them down. In the case of heavy metals, the fungus binds the toxin through chelation, turning the toxins innocuous.
Mushrooms break down organic material and remediate toxins in the soil. This process is also used for cleaning up oil spills and nuclear meltdowns.
The mushroom variety that can do this is mostly edible varieties like shiitakes and oyster mushrooms, which are very useful in cleaning the soil.
Mushroom Burial Suit For Green Burial
The increasing popularity of green burials is forcing some graveyards and cemeteries to allow this new burial practice.
The mushroom burial suit easily fits in a casket if you want a traditional burial. The mushroom bio mix will speed up the decomposition process as it uses the wood in the casket as a source of nutrients.
The burial plot must be four feet deep to ensure the mushroom can germinate properly.
The burial can also take place on private property; however, the laws on burying human remains on private property may differ from state to state.
Make sure to check about the legality of your choice before burial.
If you plan to be buried in a mushroom suit, inform your family about your decision so they know what to do when it comes.
How Much Does A Mushroom Burial Suit Cost?
Coeio is the only company producing the Infinity Suit. Their mushroom burial suit costs around $1,500. They also offer small burial pouches for pets at $200.
While it is not inexpensive, using a mushroom burial suit costs less than most funerals using a casket. The average funeral cost is between $6,000 to $12,000.
Buying Mushroom Burial Suit
To buy an Infinity Suit or mushroom burial suit, visit Coeio and follow the instructions on purchasing a suit. Shipping is free for delivery in 2 to 3 weeks within the U.S.
Once you receive the delivery, you must store the suit in a cool, dark location to prepare the bio mix for burial. Leave instructions to your family to dress you in the mushroom suit and bury you in the ground within 24 hours to ensure the mushrooms can germinate properly.
Is Mushroom Burial Suit For You?
People are beginning to be more aware of green burials. If you have an environmentally friendly approach to death, going for a green burial can reduce your carbon footprint upon death.
Using a mushroom burial suit for a green funeral is an excellent alternative to traditional burial. This after-death option can save you money while reducing your carbon footprint and helping the environment.
If you decide to go for a mushroom burial suit, talk about your plans with your loved ones and let them know why you decided on this funeral alternative. Being honest with your choice will help your family to accept your decision.
How Can Funeral Funds Help Me?
If you are looking for burial, cremation, or final expense life insurance, we can help!
Funeral Funds work with many A+ rated insurance carriers that specialize in covering healthy to high-risk clients. We will shop 20+ different insurance carriers and get you the best mushroom burial suit life insurance policy.
Fill out our quote form on this page or call us at 888) 862-9456, and we can give you an accurate quote.
Additional Mushroom Burial Suit Questions & Answers
What is a mushroom burial suit?
The mushroom burial suit or the Infinity Burial Suit is a natural handcrafted garment built in a bio-mix of mushrooms and other microorganisms worn by the deceased to transform the body into vital nutrients to enrich the soil and foster new life.
Is the mushroom burial suit a green option?
The biodegradable mushroom burial suit is one way to have a green burial and lessen the environmental impact of burials. Mushroom suits make the body decomposition faster and remediate the toxins in the soil.
Who invented the mushroom burial suit?
The artist and entrepreneur Jae Rhim Lee invented the infinity mushroom burial suit. The idea came from mycoremediation, or fungi science, to assist in metabolic decay. She discovered that some mushroom varieties help decompose heavy metals, pesticides, and other pharmaceutical waste.
What did Jae Rhim Lee develop?
Jae Rhim Lee developed the mushroom burial suit using a new strain of fungus that feeds industrial toxins stored in our bodies. This fungus remediates these toxins and converts the human body into nutrients.
What is the idea behind the mushroom burial suit?
The idea behind the mushroom burial suit stems from the work of Jae Rhim Lee while studying mycoremediation. She found that some hybrid mushrooms decompose the body quickly and remediate the toxins.
She found the best variety of mushrooms by feeding her skin cells, hair, and nails as food to mushrooms. The mushroom burial suit aims to make human decomposition faster.
Is the mushroom burial suit used in TEDtalk and the Infinity Burial Suit the same?
The mushroom burial suit used by Jae Rhim Lee in the TEDtalk in 2011, “My Mushroom Burial Suit,” and the Infinity Burial Suit manufactured by their company Coeio are not the same.
There had been some changes in the design and bio mixture. The mushroom in the TEDtalk used mushroom spores instead of the mushroom mycelium they used in the recent design.
What is a mushroom burial suit made of?
The mushroom burial suit is made of organic cotton seeded with mushroom mycelium sewn into the fabric. These mushrooms break down toxins and remediate the soil.
How does a mushroom suit work?
The mushroom burial suit seeded with mycelium helps decompose the body once they are buried in the soil. The mushrooms break down the body by emitting enzymes and consuming the body as a food source.
These mushrooms break down the molecular bonds of organic toxins and neutralize them through chelation. This process provides positive benefits by saving energy and resources. It also improves soil and enriches plant life.
What is the company that manufactures the mushroom burial suit?
Jae Rhim Lee’s company manufactures the Infinity Mushroom burial suit. Their company is called Coeio. Coeio comes from the Latin word coeo which means “assemble, or come together.”
Check out their website at http://coeio.com
What does a mushroom burial suit look like?
The mushroom burial suit long-sleeved suit with front buttons, a hood, face cover, and hand and feet cover. The face cover can be removed for viewing and flipped back for the burial.
Check out the mushroom burial suit by clicking this link.
Where can you buy a mushroom burial suit?
You can directly order from the Coeio website through their contact us page. http://coeio.com/contact-us
How much does it cost to be buried in a mushroom suit?
Each mushroom burial suit from Coeio cost $1,500. They also produce burial pouches for pets at $200. Using a mushroom suit for burial can cost less than a traditional burial using a casket.
What other burial products does Coeio make?
Aside from the mushroom burial suit, Coeio also manufactures a burial shroud. The Infinity Burial Shroud can be draped in the body and replaced with the coffin. This burial shroud works the same way as the mushroom burial suit.
Coeio also makes burial pouches for pets. The burial pet pouches come in different sizes, from extra small to extra large. You can order these pouches on their website www.theforeverspot.com
How long does it take for a body to decompose in a mushroom suit?
The mushroom burial suit itself decomposes for around 30 to 45 days. The mushroom from the suit breaks down the body in two to three years.
Who has been buried in a mushroom suit?
Luke Perry, a Hollywood actor who died after a massive stroke, was buried in a mushroom suit. Her daughter Sophie Perry announced her dad’s final wish was to be buried in the mushroom suit.
Was Luke Perry buried in a coffin?
Sophie Perry posted on Instagram that her dad, Luke Perry, was buried in the Infinity mushroom burial suit instead of the traditional casket.
How long can you store the Infinity burial suit before you use it?
Mushroom burial suits are designed and packaged to have a long shelf life. They recommend that if you store it in a dark, cool place, the mushroom suit can last a lifetime.
Do you need a coffin if you want to be buried in a mushroom suit?
You don’t necessarily need a coffin if you want to be buried in a mushroom suit. Using a mushroom suit is one way of promoting green burials, so it is best to forego the coffin if you want to use the mushroom burial suit.
If you decide to use a coffin, you can opt to use a biodegradable coffin or organic casket liner.
Do you need special preparation when using the mushroom suit?
No, you don’t need any special preparation. You can use the mushroom suit to dress the body as you would any other clothing item. It is recommended that the body be buried within 24 hours.
Where can I be buried if I choose the mushroom suit?
You can choose to be buried in traditional cemeteries designed for green burial. You can also opt for green burial conservation lands or private lands.
Every cemetery is different, so contact them to discuss your wishes and make the necessary arrangements.
How deep do I need to be buried for the mycelium to work best?
It is recommended that the burial plot be four feet deep. The four feet deeps seem to work best for the mushroom suit, although mycelium can grow as deep as the plant roots.
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1 Comment
Nadine
I'm wondering if I can purchase a burial suit for myself. I know that you need to put the body in soon but can I purchase now so my son won't have to do it later? I'm 67 and pretty healthy.