The Natural Funeral specializes in water cremation, green burial, and conventional flame cremation in Lafayette, CO. We are awarded as the Best New Business in the Boulder Weekly Survey in 2019. Make an appointment to find out about green burial, water cremation, flame cremation, or reverent body care. Whether you want to pre-plan or need our services immediately, The Natural Funeral will be there. You can call us at (720) 515-2344.
Unfortunately, a great many of the acceptable death-care practices in our society are putting strain on our environment. Traditional burial has become the norm with toxic embalming of remains, grave vaults and liners (frequently plastic, fiberglass, or cement), and caskets made of many biologically unfriendly materials. All of our service options for funeral home and cremations in Lafayette, CO, are in alignment with more natural, holistic death-care philosophies.
The Natural Funeral was created to support individuals and families seeking information and services for eco-friendly final arrangements. With core values and ethics to guide our feet, we have built a collection of services and resources to serve our area. We are so pleased to offer a location filled with alternative solutions to create less impact on the environment with the deceased’s final disposition.
Types of Services Available Funeral Home and Cremations in Lafayette, CO
A sample of some of our services will be briefly detailed below. More information is available at our center or on our website. We are honored to help with all of your needs surrounding funeral home and cremations in Lafayette, CO.
Aquamation or water cremation is also called alkaline hydrolysis and has been legal in Colorado for more than 10 years now. Close to half of the states in our country can legally offer this as well. More states are expected to follow. The procedure itself involves water, alkaline compounds, the deceased remains, and a gentle rocking chamber. Each cremation is handled individually and respectfully.
It creates conditions for the body to break down in a matter of hours. This occurs in a process that mimics nature and would happen over time with natural burial. The resulting remains create a sterile bioavailable fertilizer that can be donated to local farms. The skeletal remains can then be further processed into a sand-like substance similar to the ‘ashes” you would receive after flame cremation.
Flame cremation is better known and has been legal in the United States much longer than water cremations. For families electing flame cremation, rest assured the process is also individual and very secure. The body is gently placed within a flammable container and placed in a combustion chamber. High temperatures are applied, and the contents within the space are consumed therein.
After the cremation itself is complete, all remaining elements are then collected and made more uniform in size. These particles (“ashes”) are then given back to the next of kin. It may be possible to witness the body being placed within the cremation chamber if that is the family’s wish.
Reverent Body Care is our environmentally sound process for the preparation of the deceased prior to their burial or cremation. We do not encourage or offer embalming at our center. Reverent Body Care is our wonderful alternative. It can feel ceremonial and can be a very healing experience for families to take part in if desired. Gentle washing with holistic products and anointing with pure essential oils is followed by dressing the deceased in their burial clothes.
Home wakes and vigils are encouraged and supported by our staff to pay last respects and hold space for one another as a bereaved company. Grappling with this loss can be helped by this simple, unfettered process. A vigil may be held at home or our beautiful, naturally decorated chapel space.
Memorial services are fitting for many of the families that we serve. Most generally, memorial services do not have the physical body of the deceased present. We have the capability to support these services both in person and/or to include a digital audience by way of Zoom video streaming.
Other Services We Support
Green or natural burial has been growing in popularity and awareness. Even if you decide to bury your deceased in a more conventional cemetery, there are options to support a greener burial. For example, traditional embalming is generally not a requirement at mainstream cemeteries. You’ll likely be required to purchase a vault or grave liner but can often use a burial shroud or biodegradable casket within.
Green and natural cemeteries are becoming more available. As with general cemeteries, there are often strict rules to allow interment in one of these sites. True green or natural burial involves no embalmed bodies nor grave liners and vaults. The deceased must be contained within an earth-friendly burial shroud or a compostable casket. Vegetation typically is less manicured, with natural and native plant life taking precedence.
Local artists provide many of our funerary products. We carry many aesthetically pleasing and well-made items to support your specific needs. These include naturally earth-friendly caskets and unique urns.
Call Us Today for More Information
All of your needs surrounding natural death care, funeral home and cremations in Lafayette, CO, can be supported through The Natural Funeral. With convenient access at 102 W Chester St, Lafayette, CO 80026, stop by or call (720) 515-2344 to make an appointment.
Funeral & Cremation FAQ’s
What is the process of aquamation?
- Aquamation uses an alkaline hydrolysis procedure in which a body is immersed in a stainless-steel vat containing a 200°F (93°C) potassium-hydroxide-and-water solution for four hours until only the skeleton remains. Water cremation turns the body’s tissues and cells into a watery molecule solution, essentially dissolving the body and leaving only the bones behind. Click to Learn More
Does the body feel pain during cremation?
- When someone dies, they lose their ability to feel anything, so they don’t feel any pain.” If they question about cremation, you should clarify that their body is placed in a very warm room and converted into soft ashes, emphasizing that it is a quiet, painless procedure. Click to Learn More
What do you know about green burial practices?
- Green burial highlights environmental preservation and simplicity. No chemicals, including embalming fluids, are used in the preparation of the body. It is simply wrapped in a biodegradable shroud or coffin and buried without the use of a concrete vault. The burial site has been permitted to revert to its natural state. Click to Learn More
