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Personalised, beautiful, sustainable caskets - with a difference

“Just put me in a cardboard box”

We hear that a lot. 

But it doesn’t have to mean shabby, or mass-produced. It can be beautiful.

Made of specially engineered cardboard, Outside the Boxes aren’t the “plain cardboard box” you might be thinking of. They’re reliable and robust, and weight-tested to 320kg. They’re also designed and made here in New Zealand.

Whatever makes them THEM, their casket can reflect it.

We love to help families create personalised, meaningful farewells for their loved ones. There’s a whole new world of possibilities with Outside the Box’s beautiful, premium-quality caskets.

how much does a funeral cost

The specs

  • Proudly designed and made in NZ
  • FSC-certified recycled and virgin paper
  • No metal. No plastic. No glue
  • Natural jute handles
  • Printed directly onto the board, no vinyl wrap
  • 100% biodegradable and compostable
  • Certified by Natural Burials NZ
  • Suitable for burial and cremation (at Kapiti Crematorium)
  • Weighs 20kg less than a traditional casket
  • Personalisation: Can be painted, collaged, wrapped, and decorated
  • Custom design service available
  • Independently load tested to 320kg
  • Dimensions: 6’3 x 23” x 14”

The cost

Download our “Cardboard costs” sheet for prices

There are costs associated with casket deliveries, cremation and chapel hire, travel, and other factors that may or may not apply in your particular situation. Talk to us about what you have in mind and we’ll be able to give you an estimate that covers all the relevant items.

cardboard coffin

Kind to the whenua

These caskets are crafted from 100% biodegradable ecological board. There’s no plastic, metal, MDF or synthetics. They’re suitable for cremation (and take 10-15 minutes less time than a wooden casket). They’re also very suitable for burial and are certified for Natural Burial, biodegrading faster than wood.

Wellington City Council (who run Karori Crematorium) and Porirua City Council (who run Whenua Tapu Crematorium) don’t currently accept cardboard caskets. Our friends up at Kāpiti Crematorium do, though.

It’s about 50km from Wellington City Funerals to Kāpiti Crematorium, which equates to about 30 minutes’ travel time (traffic permitting). We can book time in the Crematorium Chapel, either for a full funeral service there, or a committal with a smaller family group who want to travel in convoy for that final step in the journey. Or one of team can make the drive for you. We can make those logistical arrangements to suit your family’s needs.

The caskets are suitable for burial in any denominational or public section of Wellington’s cemeteries, and we’re delighted that they’re certified for Natural Burial as well.

The design options

There are three quite distinct experiences: the natural kraft casket that family and friends can decorate themselves, a range of professionally printed designs, and completely bespoke designs incorporating photographs, artwork, colours and themes.

Get the grandkids in with crayons and markers. Get artistic with paint (we’ll lay down a tarp). Stick on hard-copy photos – especially if you’ve got a trove of photo albums of family and friends who’ve gone on ahead. Or keep it simple and down to earth with a straight-up plain brown cardboard exterior.

These stunning designs feature native New Zealand and Pasifika themes, printed in crisp and perfect colour. Ideal for the person who lived with panache and is going out in style.

Download Outside the Box's printed range

We specialise in creating a funeral service or farewell that honours the individual, and with Outside the Box we have a new way to do this. The Outside team can produce a four-photo design, a 20-photo collage or themed artwork. They’ll provide a 3D proof for approval, and then print the custom lid in three working days after artwork approval.

Timelines

We don’t have a huge amount of storage space, so we can only keep a limited number of caskets and urns on-site. We usually have caskets delivered from our suppliers on Wednesdays, but with Outside the Box caskets that does depend on what designs are in-stock with the local supplier.

Never fear – we can usually get a Natural Kraft or Printed casket within three working days, sometimes faster. (Personalised lids take an extra couple of days on top of that.) Just let us know what you want and we’ll get the wheels turning as promptly as possible.

Got questions?

“Cardboard” caskets are pretty new to Wellington. We have heaps more information, examples on-site and a great relationship with the wonderful team at Outside the Box. If you want to talk about options, costs, timelines and more, we’re always happy to talk.