These funeral trends in 2025 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 themed funerals, we know you haven’t heard of all of these.

Take a look at these 10 funeral trends in 2025 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 2025. 

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 2025.

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 twelve 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 2025 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 and other technology

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. 

Other technologies that are becoming more commonplace in funerals include digital memorials, online obituaries, and digital guest books.

If you want to stay on top of funeral trends in 2025, 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. You might also consider offering options for digital guest books and memorials.

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. Pet Funerals

Pet funerals can include cremation, burial, or aquamation (an alternative to cremation that uses water and chemicals, often chosen because it’s quite eco-friendly).

Believe it or not, pet funerals are skyrocketing in popularity. According to Global Market Insights, the “Pet Funeral Services Market size was valued at around USD 1.7 billion in 2023 and is estimated to grow at 10.5% CAGR from 2024 to 2032.”

Pet funeral homes often offer everything from burial and cremation services to pickup from the home or veterinarian’s office.

8. Themed funerals related to hobbies

To commemorate their loved ones, many families are pursuing themed funerals. These can be a special way to help mourners and their friends to remember all that they loved about the deceased.

Popular themes for funerals include:

  • Sports or sports teams
  • Hobbies, such as fishing, gardening, or camping
  • Nature-centered funerals
  • Career-themed services
  • Cultural celebrations

Offering options for theme-based funerals and memorial services allows families to spend the day in a celebration of life as they say goodbye to their loved one.

9. Funeral crowdfunding

Among the major funeral trends for 2025 is funeral crowdfunding. For those who don’t have insurance to cover funeral expenses or are mourning early deaths, crowdfunding is often a creative solution to cover the costs. Sites like GoFundMe are 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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