“I make my own burial shroud to avoid cremation contamination.” - ORSOLTECH

“If it's a choice between being lovingly wrapped or enveloped, it's a no-brainer for me,” Rachel says.

Lizzy Steel/BBC Rachel Hawthorne has long blonde hair and wears a black shirt. She stands in front of a black-and-white wool burial shroud placed in a wicker basket. It's inside a workshop with paintings and artwork on the walls. — “If it's a choice between being lovingly wrapped or enveloped, it's a no-brainer for me,” Rachel says.

“I don't want my last job on this planet to be a dirty job, if I can help it,” Rachel Hawthorne explains.

She is preparing to make her own burial shroud because she is concerned about the environmental impact of traditional burials and cremations.

“In my life, I try hard to recycle, reduce use, and live environmentally friendly, so I want my death to be like that too,” she adds.

Gas cremation produces the equivalent of the estimated carbon dioxide emissions of a return flight from London to Paris, and around 80% of those who die in the UK are cremated each year, according to a report From carbon consulting firm Planet Mark.

But traditional burials can also cause pollution. Non-biodegradable coffins are often made with harmful chemicals, and bodies are mummified using formaldehyde, a toxic substance that can leach into the soil.

The shroud, which can be used to replace a coffin, is made of locally sourced wool and willow

Lizzy Steel/BBC A black-and-white wool burial shroud placed in a wicker basket in an artists' workshop. It is displayed on top of a white wooden stand. — The shroud, which can be used to replace a coffin, is made of locally sourced wool and willow

In a Last scan From Co-op Funeralcare, conducted by YouGov, one in 10 people said they wanted a more “green” funeral.

Rachel, from Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, made a burial shroud for a friend from locally sourced wool, willow, bramble and ivy, as part of her work as an artist.

For years I have explored themes of death, dying, grief and nature through crafts and functional objects.

But the 50-year-old saw the shroud, which could also remove the need for a coffin, as more than just a work of art – and has since decided to make it herself.

A common reaction from those who have seen the creation is to wonder if they could touch it to feel how soft it was.

For Rachel, this is the perfect way to help people address the taboo topic of death.

She also acts as a bereavement doula, which involves supporting people who are dying, as well as their loved ones, to make informed choices for funeral care.

“I find that when we talk about death, everyone I meet finds it to be something meaningful and healthy, and something that enriches life,” she says.

“When someone dies, it's often very traumatic. We're just getting started on this treadmill of 'this is what's happening,' so I want to open up those conversations.”

“I want more people to know that there are choices and that we don't have to end up in a box.”

The practice of digging graves 6 feet (1.82 m) deep dates back to at least the 16th century, and is thought to have been a preventive measure against plague.

When the time comes for Rachel, she wants a natural burial, which means using a biodegradable coffin or shroud in a shallower grave. The upper layers of soil contain more active microbes, so bodies can decompose in about 20 to 30 years, rather than up to 100 in a traditional grave.

Shallow graves allow more oxygen to flow and decompose faster

Illustration showing a wooden coffin buried in soil 6 feet deep with caption "100 years"and another bamboo coffin buried 3 feet deep with the caption "20-30 years". There are blue arrows showing the flow of oxygen in the top three layers of soil. — Shallow graves allow more oxygen to flow and decompose faster

Natural burial places are spread across the UK and look little like regular cemeteries – trees and wildflowers replace man-made grave markers, and no pesticides are used.

Taxidermy, headstones, decorations and plastic flowers are not permitted.

Tarn Mor Memorial Woodland is a natural burial site in North Yorkshire

Aerial photo of green spaces. In the nearest field there is a small group of trees with a winding tarmac road in front of it. — Tarn Mor Memorial Woodland is a natural burial site in North Yorkshire

Louise McManus' mother was buried last year at Tarn Mor Memorial Woodland, a natural site near Skipton. The funeral included an electric hearse, a locally made wool coffin and flowers from her garden.

“She loved nature and being outside. She was concerned about what was happening to the environment and asked for her funeral to be as sustainable as possible,” says Louise.

Louise's mother requested that her funeral be as sustainable as possible

Louise McManus has short blonde hair. She wears round glasses, a navy cardigan with a blouse tied with a bow at the neck, and a cream-colored waterproof jacket. She smiles widely at the camera and stands in a field. There are a few small trees behind it. — Louise's mother requested that her funeral be as sustainable as possible

Sarah Jones, the Leeds-based funeral director who organized the send-off, says the demand for sustainability is growing.

Its business has expanded to include four buildings since opening in 2016 with an increase in the number of sustainable funerals helping to drive this expansion.

Among a “handful” of eco-landfills, such requests now make up about 20% of its business, she said.

“More and more people are asking about it and want to make choices that are better for our planet. They often feel like it reflects the life of the person who died because it was important to them,” she says.

Funeral director Sarah Jones owns an electric hearse and says the number of eco-friendly funerals is increasing

Lizzie Steele/BBC Sarah Jones has her blonde hair tied back and smiles at the camera. She wears glasses, a plaid jacket, a multi-colored scarf, and a black shirt and pants. She stands in front of a black electric hearse that has a large pane of glass instead of separate windows. Behind the glass is a white wool coffin. — Funeral director Sarah Jones owns an electric hearse and says the number of eco-friendly funerals is increasing

As with many environmentally friendly industries, natural burial costs can be more expensive. Many, including Tarn Mór, offer cheaper plots of land for local residents. One in Spiton, North Yorkshire, is community-run and returns profits to the village playground.

At Tarn Mór, the cost of a plot of land plus maintenance for Skipton residents is £1,177. Non-local residents are charged £1,818. The nearest council cemetery charges £1,200 per grave while cremation costs here start at £896.

Access to natural burial places can increase your carbon footprint

A grassy field with trees to the right of a windy, mowed grass path that runs down the center of the image. In the foreground on the left is a small tree with red berries, supported by wire around the trunk. — Access to natural burial places can increase your carbon footprint

The Planet Mark report notes that traveling to natural areas to attend funerals, or to visit a grave, often far from urban areas and transport, can result in a higher carbon footprint than traditional locations.

Rachel, the shroud maker, recognizes these challenges but hopes for long-term change. She wants to see more native natural lands and the normalization of eco-friendly death care, while respecting the choices of others.

She says: “In the past, women would come to the marital home with their shrouds as part of their dowry, and they would be placed in the bottom drawer until they were needed.”

“I don't understand why people can't prepare their burial shroud and wait.

“I think it might be normal, but everyone should have their own choices about it. It doesn't have to be a certain way.”