These funeral trends in 2023 are important to be aware of whether you’re a funeral home, cemetery, or death care industry worker. Our field is always changing, and the best way to serve our customers is to stay on top of the latest trends so we can provide the products and services they’re looking for. 

From human composting to cremation diamonds, we know you haven’t heard of all of these.

Take a look at these 10 funeral trends in 2023 to stay ahead of the curve!

1. Green burial

If you’ve been paying any attention to pop culture or the news for the last decade, you’ve probably noticed that environmental concerns are at the forefront of our country’s collective conscience. 

This focus on sustainability and eco-friendliness has finally made its way into the death care industry, and some interesting new practices have emerged as a result. Among them is green burial, one of the biggest funeral trends in 2023. 

Green burial emphasizes the natural biodegrading process over attempts to preserve the body of the deceased. Typically, the green burial process skips embalming and places the deceased’s body in a biodegradable casket, often made from a material like bamboo or wicker. 

2. Human composting

Along the same lines as green burial, human composting is the next of our funeral trends in 2023.

Human composting is exactly what it sounds like – composting human remains so that they become fertilized soil. The benefits of human composting are mostly practical: it is a relatively inexpensive and environmentally friendly way to handle human remains. 

If you have a bit of morbid curiosity about human composting and want to learn how it works, take a look at Recompose’s process. They’re the world’s first human composting company. 

Or, if the thought of human composting freaks you out a little, don’t worry – it’s only legal in six U.S. states so far. 

3. Cremation diamonds

The practice of making memorial jewelry to honor a loved one isn’t new, but one particular jewelry trend that’s growing in popularity in 2023 is cremation diamonds. This is the process of turning cremation ashes from a deceased loved one into a diamond through the use of immense pressure. 

It’s a long and expensive process, taking about a year from start to finish. However, the result is a genuine diamond that you can keep as a memorial piece forever. 

4. Live streaming

Yes, we know all too well that live-streaming events really became commonplace during COVID-19. But, unlike many other events, funerals have continued to be live-streamed ever since. In fact, the practice is only growing in popularity and shows no signs of slowing down in the future. 

Live streaming a funeral is a great way to make sure that everyone who would like to be there can attend virtually, if not in person. This is especially considerate for family and friends who are unable to travel due to health or financial concerns. 

If you want to stay on top of funeral trends in 2023, make sure your business is making it easy for families to live stream funeral services. Maybe even consider providing a list of local professionals who offer live streaming and recording services. 

5. Direct cremation

Direct cremation is rising in popularity simply because it is the easiest and most affordable option for a deceased person’s body.

What is direct cremation? It’s the practice of cremating a body directly after passing. This removes the cost of a casket, burial plot, or visitation services.

While many families still choose to hold a memorial service after the cremation, the major expenses of a traditional burial are avoided. 

6. Pre-planned funerals

As funerals trend away from tradition and the options seem endless, some people choose to make arrangements for their own death ahead of time. This not only removes some of the burden from family members to make these difficult decisions for them, but it also gives them the ability to make a plan that really suits their wishes. 

Usually, pre-planning a funeral involves paying for it ahead of time or setting up a payment plan, which is another kind way to relieve your family of that burden down the road.

7. Online funeral shopping

It used to be that once you chose a funeral home to work with, you would purchase everything necessary for the service and burial through the funeral home. However, this isn’t the case anymore.

With more families struggling financially, affordability has become a major priority in funeral planning. This being the case, many people are choosing to shop online for funeral supplies they need and to compare prices.

Of course, dealing with the death of a loved one isn’t an ideal time to be hunting for the best deals, and lots of families still prefer the convenience of getting everything they need through the funeral home. 

If you’re a funeral home or cemetery, a great way to build trust with your families is to offer competitive pricing and welcome any purchases they would like to make outside of your business. 

For a list of what you need to purchase from the funeral home and what you can get elsewhere, see this article. 

8. Donations instead of flowers

Okay, so this one isn’t exactly new in 2023, but it’s gaining serious popularity. Asking for charitable donations in lieu of flowers has become a standard funeral practice.

Many families will request donations towards a charity that meant a lot to their deceased loved one, or toward a hospital or medical research group that benefited them. 

If you would like to send flowers anyway, the typical etiquette is to make a donation to the requested charity as well. 

9. Funeral crowdfunding

Among the major funeral trends for 2023 is funeral crowdfunding. As people become more aware of how expensive funerals can be, they’re coming up with creative solutions to cover the costs. Crowdfunding through sites like GoFundMe is becoming a popular way to raise money for funeral expenses. 

10. Ash scattering ceremonies

Scattering the ashes of a deceased loved one often used to be a very private event, but now it is becoming common to have a scattering ceremony.

Ash-scattering ceremonies usually include gathering at a place that was special to the deceased and reading poetry, singing songs, or delivering a eulogy as you would at a funeral service before scattering the ashes outside. 

Staying ahead of the competition isn’t just about knowing what trends your customers are interested in. It’s also about supplying them with cutting-edge products that meet their needs and surpass their expectations. At Holland Supply, we know that you need top-quality products delivered fast. Call us today with your order. We want you to have the products you need to get the job done and make your customers happy.

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