Rest in Peace

[Maureen K Clifford]

Found this on the ABC web site. As an ex primary producer of fine wool I really like this idea....I'm putting my order in early....fancy hot pink or emerald green - should imagine you could have any colour you would like and without a rainbow sheep to be seen


Rest in fleece:
woollen coffins revive the British wool industry

By Julia Holman Monday, 12 September 2011


About 35 woollen coffins are being sold each week (Julia Holman)

A few years ago the wool industry was on its death bed.

Now your death may help to bring it back to life.

An English textile company has made a coffin out of wool, and they say demand just keeps growing since it was launched at the UK's major funeral exhibition two years ago.

Rachel Hainsworth is the sales director at the mill, which is just outside of Leeds.

She says that the woollen coffins are a softer, gentler way of saying goodbye than the traditional wooden box.

"It is a fully structured coffin, so it looks quite conventional in shape.

"It's woven woollen cloth that is quite thick, and it's wrapped around a strong recycled cardboard frame which gives it its shape."

History behind the woollen coffins

Rachel says that the idea came when a trainee at the company discovered that there had been a Burial in Woollen Act of 1666, which stipulated that anyone who died had to have a shroud covering their face made from British wool.

Rachel said that when her brother, who also works at the mill, heard of the Act he thought that a fleece coffin would be a natural fit.

"He was a regular churchgoer and he thought about this and he said 'Oh, well why can't we make a coffin out of wool'."

The coffin uses about three fleeces, and is made using locally sourced wool.

"Because we were initially aiming our market in the UK we're actually using British wool, a fairly fine down types of wool that's particularly good for felting, and that was partly marketing but also to help British farmers," she said.

The company sources most of their wool from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and say if the product takes off they will probably start to buy the wool for the coffins from Australia.

"The coffin is the only product we're actually using British wool on," said Rachel.

The Mill has been around for more than 200 years and produced the cloth that was worn by William and Harry at the Royal Wedding. But Rachel says that this is their most innovative product to date.

"We are constantly trying to look for new and exciting markets.

"You can't stand still, particularly in textiles."

[Dave Smith]

Once a jolly jumbuck wound up as a coffin skin
Under the shade of a Union Jack
And he wriggled and he sang
As they laid him in that cold ground
I’ll keep your feet warm forever more.

Sorry Maureen a bit wicked Iknow.

TTFN

[Neville Briggs]

Weird !!! Gives a new meaning to pulling the wool over your eyes.

[Darren]

Very clever Neville!

Might just be what we need to shift the vast stock piles of Aussie wool. I can just see the ads. It would be perfect fodder for "The Gruen Transfer" on the ABC.

[Bob Pacey]

Not much good spending money on an expensive coffin when they are gonna burn ya.

Just mixes your ashes up all together.


Cardboard box will do me.


Bob

[r.magnay]

...don't care what they do to me when I'm dead....just as long as I am dead before they do it!

[Bob Pacey]

Bloody beauty Ross. Wish I had said that !


Well put mate.

Bob