Coke bottles, Nokia phones, Shoes and Airplains
Ghana's Fantasy Coffins
For the Ga tribe in coastal Ghana, funerals are a time of mourning, but also of celebration. The Ga people believe that when their loved ones die, they move on into another life — and the Ga make sure they do so in style. They honor their dead with brightly colored coffins that celebrate the way they lived.
The coffins are designed to represent an aspect of the dead person’s life — such as a car if they were a driver, a fish if their livelihood was the sea — or asewing machine for a seamstress. They might also symbolize a vice — such as a bottle of beer or a cigarette.
Coffin jewelry, furniture, storage boxes... and yes, actual coffins for burial
Coffin it Up
From it's website: "Coffin making is no longer something that is commonly done here in the United States. Coffins as burial receptacles have been replaced with modern day caskets, and cremation urns. However, coffins are still widely used in Europe and other countries. Coffin It Up features coffin furniture, jewelry and storage boxes, and actual coffins for burial"
For Die Hard KISS Fans
The Kiss Kasket
Die hard fans can have a KISS goodbye with the "Kiss Kasket". It is decorated with the logo and pictures of the band members; plus: it is waterproof. The Kiss Kasket went on sale in 2001 until 2006; now it's no longer available from Kiss' website.
Designer Coffins: Go Out in Style!
LifeArt Coffins
Life Art is an Australian company with a very, very special niche: it designs and makes custom, designer coffins. Natalie Verdon and Eckhard Kemmer launched the company in 2004.
The Tree of death
Capsula Mundi, a biodegradable coffin
The most earthly looking eco-coffin that we’ve found is the Capsula Mundi, created by a pair of Italian designers who wanted to remove the taboo from the burial process and give it a new conception.
The Capsula Mundi is an egg-shaped container made of bioplastic. The body of the deceased rests in a fetal position within this capsule, which gets planted in the earth like a bulb. A shallow circular depression is dug above the capsule to symbolize the presence of the body, in the center of which a tree is planted. Over time, the groups of burial sites become a sacred memorial grove. The Capsula Mundi has made appearances as a design piece in exhibitions around Europe, including one with Droog Design last year. As a show piece, the design is a quintessential representation of a sprouting seed, perfectly encapsulating the designers’ goal of regarding death as an opportunity to nourish the earth for the future.
Corks, guitars and sports bags
Vic Fearn's Coffins
The specialty coffin was just one of many made by a firm whose trade has doubled in the last 12 months, thanks to a boom in bizarre caskets. UK's Vic Fern and Company has made a pint of beer-style coffin for a keen drinker who fitted snugly into the tulip glass replica. Craftsmen have also created a fast food fan's hot dog coffin, complete with replica onions and mustard. Another customer, a music lover, was buried in a guitar. The most bizarre request received by the firm in Falwell near Nottingham, was for a coffin with a removable glass lid. The satisfied customer then used it as a coffeetable before he died.
And more bizarre coffins from around the world...
