When it comes to funerals, people increasingly want to be able to customise the service, coffin and other elements that make for a memorable occasion. Modern customisation methods allow for coffins to reflect personal tastes, and the trend for bespoke services offers the same level of flexibility. Trends occur in the funeral services as well as in other aspects of life, and reflect broader fashions and movements. After all, thirty years ago it was extremely unusual for guests at a funeral to wear anything other than black – but today many will be encouraged to wear bright colours as a celebration of a life lived.

So what are the latest trends in customised coffins? Well, the first thing to know is that when families choose to customise coffins with designs, they will typically look for something that mirrors their loved one’s interests, tastes and hobbies. That means that things which they enjoyed in life can later be reflected in the choice of design.

Sports and Clubs

Sports are always a popular choice – whether it’s a design that shows a favourite sport such as swimming, football, rugby, dancing or boxing, or whether it’s a logo or emblem of a club. Although approval has to be sought to use logos for this purpose, the funeral director will manage this directly as part of the service, and brand owners are usually very accommodating and understanding.

Characters

Another popular trend is for characters, especially when the deceased is younger or had a particular interest in a certain cartoon, film or game. A lot of customised coffins will show superheroes, favourite literary characters or film heroes, and these are often a really popular choice and give a lot of comfort to the family of the deceased.

Big Landscapes

An enduring trend is to have beautiful images that reflect the inspiring nature of life. When families request to customise coffins with designs, they very often choose things that their loved ones enjoyed in nature or in the city – whether that’s a wonderful landscape, the sun setting over water, a busy cityscape with lights, hustle and bustle or a beautiful garden full of flowers.

Natural Scenes

Animals are always a top choice as well, especially if pets are involved. People love images of tropical fish in beautiful aquariums or coral reefs, dogs and cats, lions and other examples of wildlife. Flocks of birds are also in demand and are a beautifully symbolic choice. On the topic of symbolism, plants, flowers, nature and night skies are also very popular, and reflect the ever renewing nature of life. These images can provide an awful lot of comfort and positive reflection on the day of the funeral.

Whatever image you want to choose for a customised coffin, speak to the graphic designer working for your funeral director. He or she will be able to create a beautiful finish in line with your requirements, and if you can’t quite decide on the right image, then there is a huge stock to choose from.