5 Unique Ways To Dispose Of Cremains - Phaneuf

There are many reasons to choose cremation, but perhaps the most common reason is the flexibility it accords. Cremains can be kept for any amount of time, they can be buried or interred, or they can be scattered in a meaningful location. While many people opt for some version of the above-mentioned options, others are inclined to experiment with a more unique form of disposal. Here are some of the most interesting ways that cremains are scattered.

1. Create a Coral Reef Ecosystem

If your loved one was a big proponent of environmental issues, this could be just the kind of thing that they would have appreciated. Organizations such as Eternal Reef specializing in mixing ashes with cement and creating small structures to be placed under the sea where coral can attach and grow. Since coral reefs are seeing a heavy decline due to climate changes, this is a fantastic way to contribute to a struggling eco-system and allowing your loved one to live on in some way.

2. Jewelry Keepsakes

While many people incorporate cremains into necklaces and other jewelry, there is also the option of actually making jewels with the ashes. You can customize your ash-based diamond to be the size, weight and color of your choice and keep your loved one close, commemorating the beauty of their life and impact.

3. Make Art

Whether it’s a painting of the deceased or a particularly memorable image that reminds you of them, Art from Ashes can literally paint with cremains. What a beautiful and truly unique way to always keep your loved one in your heart and in sight.

4. Hour Glass

Although they are no longer used much as timepieces, there is something pleasing about the shape and feel of an hour glass. Imbue this beautiful structure with the remains of your loved one and keep the feeling of their presence as time moves ever forward.

5. Send off in a Helium Balloon

Some of us never lose the wish to fly. Bittersweet and reminiscent of youthful play, cremains can be placed into a helium balloon, which rises to the height of five miles, then crystallizes and scatters the ashes to the wind.

What you do with the ashes of your loved one is a personal and intimate decision, but here you have some truly unique options to consider. When deciding what option to choose, consider the person these ashes represent and how they would want to be remembered.