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Cremation Urns: What to Know
In 2020, more than half of all Americans chose ash cremation over traditional casket burials. By 2040, the National Funeral Directors Association predicts nearly 80% of all Americans will choose to be cremated. With the rising trend of ash cremation, here is what you should know:
Cremation Urn: What is it?
An urn is a container that is specifically crafted to hold cremated remains (AKA cremains) of a deceased person. Its form can be constructed using a wide variety of materials and is available in many sizes. Ranging from simple to ornate, cremation urns are meant to help remember loved ones.
Types of Cremation Urns
As cremation urns come in different shapes, there are general categories regarding size:
Individual Urn
This type of urn holds the cremains of one person. Although they can be custom-sized, individual cremation urns are typically designed to hold anywhere from 100 to 350 cubic inches of cremains. Notably, 1 pound of body weight is equivalent to 1 cubic inch of ash remains.
Companion Urn
Companion urns are meant to hold the cremains of two people. Double the size of individual urns, between 350 to 600 cubic inches, this urn can have either double or single compartments. Usually, this size is used to memorialize a couple.
Keepsake (Sharing) Urn
This type of urn is ideal if several people aim to keep a portion of a loved one’s cremains. Keepsake urns hold a range between 10 to 50 cubic inches. While its small size is meant for sharing, this smaller type of urn is also used to hold child and pet remains.
Choosing the Right Design
Before choosing the right design, decide where you intend to keep the cremains (if you choose not to scatter them somewhere). This question can help guide you if you are interested in handheld keepsakes or display urns. In media, a traditional urn is often portrayed in a vase-like shape. However, there is a multitude of different options that can be displayed or held to help you remember a loved one. Here are just a few options for your consideration:
Birch Tree Urn
For those looking for environmental-friendly urns, the birch tree urn offers natural beauty to hold a loved one. Although its exterior sets it apart from other available urns, due to it being natural wood means that cracks may occur. Thus, this type of urn requires some preservation treatment to help preserve its look.
Keepsake Diamonds
Companies like Eterneva extract and purify the carbon from one’s cremains to produce a unique diamond for you to remember a loved one. This unique diamond can be attached to enhance or create jewelry using only a small amount of cremains.
3D Custom-Printed Urn
From seascapes and football helmets, to cars and statues. This option is highly unique as the urn can be printed to display anything. Depending on what design you choose, these custom urns typically range from 5 to 200 cubic inches in size.
Cuddle Stones
Cuddle stones can be classified into the keepsake category of urns. About 2 inches in width, these stones hold a small amount of cremains within themselves. Due to its small nature, the stone is designed to be physically held in the hopes of providing comfort that a loved one is close to you.
Fitting Your Budget
The cost of a cremation urn ultimately depends on the material and size of the chosen urn. The place of purchase, complexity, durability, and rareness of an urn can also majorly contribute to a more expensive cost. Pricing ranges widely, but deciding how much you want to spend before you start your search can help to narrow your choices significantly.
Regulations
Put simply, there are no existing regulations as to what qualifies as a cremation urn. The only law regarding urns states that funeral homes can not pressure or require you to purchase directly from them. Although there is always the option to purchase from a funeral home, this law means you can take time to explore how you best would like to memorialize yourself or a loved one.
Urns offer personalization and options in how one chooses to memorialize a loved one. With more Americans choosing ash cremation, knowledge surrounding various types of urns may be practically applied.
