JC Atkinson, the leading independent manufacturer of coffins, caskets and urns and winner of The Sunday Time Best Green Company Award in 2008, has made it easier for customers to make environmentally-informed choices by bringing together all of its products that are plastic-free into dedicated new literature and various areas of their website.
In recent times, we have been encouraged by renewed interest in the environment by the media and the public in recent times and, having carried out a full environmental audit, the company premises themselves incorporate many environmentally friendly features such as rainwater harvesting saving over 200,000 litres of water a year and a biomass heat system that utilises wood coffin off-cuts, sawdust and shavings as fuel (biomass) for heating, a 250Kw solar farm generating around 30% of power and LED lighting. However, the business realised much of the products they offer, whilst plastic free, are not necessarily labelled as such and certainly not grouped together.
And whilst JC Atkinson has a number of stringent environmental accreditations to its name, such as the ISO 14001 standard, which is the internationally recognised standard for the environmental management of businesses and the Forest Stewardship Council® certification for its production facility, which enables it to use the Forest Stewardship Council® logo on products to reassure customers that these products have come from sources that do not further damage the environment, they had no such label for plastic free products.
Greg Cranfield, Commercial Director explains: “ The awards we have won and the accreditation’s we have achieved show how we manage our environmental impact with regards to the manufacturing of products but are only part of what the business does. We have now pulled together all the appropriate products from our various product ranges to help customers make informed choices if they want to opt for plastic free. These include our cardboard, willow, woven, picture and woodland coffins, caskets, and urns amongst others. It is of note that no new products were developed for this initiative as all had existed previously. They just had not been promoted as a plastic free option for consumers, but they are now. ”
For a look through what’s available in Plastic Free, visit https://www.coffins.co.uk/country-range/
As a Funeral Directors who strives to offer the very best quality products available, we chose to use Atkinson’s Reflections range when it comes to picture coffins. Incorporating personal memories of the deceased that Jamie and the Reflections team have designed specifically for that individual family.
- Daniel from D.B.DevallsJust to let you know how elegant the Walnut Tree Oval coffin looked this morning - it caught everyone's eye, plenty of comments and none of the pallbearers had seen one like it. It really did look smart. The book for the name details is beautiful, really impressive.
- White Rose Modern FuneralsJust want to say a massive thank you to you & your team for this coffin, we along with the Humanist celebrant, crematorium staff, family and friends thought it was absolutely brilliant, on route to the crematorium there were people on the street taking photos of the coffin and EVERYONE had a big stupid smile on their faces.
- McKenzie and Millar - FuneralcareEveryone commented on how unusual the coffin was. Usually people are too scared to go up to the coffin at a funeral, but everyone went up to see and spent time looking at the photos that were displayed on the coffin. It made is so much easier to be close to dad
- Diane (on behalf of Poetic Endings Funeral Directors)Mum loved the outdoors and nature. She was very environmentally conscious. When we looked at your Eco friendly coffins we knew we’d be able to find something perfect for mum. It made such a sad time a little easier as we know she would have loved it.
- Mr & Mrs SingletonI loved the design on the picture coffin, it really captured my mother’s hobbies. She loved bowls, and to have the bowling green on was a wonderful way to say goodbye.
- Janice DohertyWe wanted to say goodbye to our sister Helen, but in something that was more than just ‘a box’. The different choices that were available in all styles was fascinating. We chose a beautiful American-style Casket and also got a separate keepsake in her memory.
- Carl & Becky Taylor
