Loop Biotech’s Mushroom Caskets and Pet Urns Take Root in Deathcare

For a few months this summer, millions of people from across the United States were reading about the burial of Maine resident Mark C. Ancker. It wasn’t because Ancker’s funeral was over-the-top or attracted thousands of mourners; his was, in fact, a lovely and thoughtful low-key, private ceremony. No, what made Ancker’s burial newsworthy was his status as the first person in North America to be buried in a mushroom casket — the brainchild of Bob Hendrikx, founder of Loop Biotech.

Since its June 2025 U.S. launch, Netherlands-based Loop Biotech’s Loop Living Cocoon™ mushroom casket has grown from an eco-curiosity into a certified, functional option for green burial and cremation — and its potential positive impact on the environment has reached well beyond the deathcare community. The global press has noticed. 

It’s about TIME

Last month, TIME Magazine named the Loop Living Cocoon™ one of its Best Inventions, describing it as “an all-natural casket that actively enriches nature, even after we’re gone.” The magazine noted that more than 2,500 burials worldwide using Loop’s mushroom-hemp caskets since launch.

This recognition, along with Loop’s partnerships and growing North American presence, helps counter earlier skepticism about mushroom-based burial options.

“Sometimes people say, ‘The mushroom suit didn’t work, so this doesn’t work either,’” Hendrikx admits. “That’s a pity, because it’s a totally different thing. Our product just dissolves into nature — we focus on the enrichment of the local soil. That’s the most important trait for us.”

At just 31, Hendrikx balances innovation and family life (he and his wife recently welcomed a baby boy) while redefining what a casket can mean in the 21st century. Loop Biotech’s products don’t just decompose — they compose life anew.

For funeral professionals, the company’s success underscores a growing shift: families increasingly seek products that heal the planet as they honor their loved ones.

“Our goal,” Hendrikx says simply, “is to make sure that when you leave this world, you leave it a little bit better.”

Touch and feel

Attendees of the 2025 National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) International Convention & Expo had the opportunity not only to meet Hendrikx and his team, but also to get up-close and personal with the unexpectedly-touchable Loop Living Cocoon.

“We grow an exterior mushroom skin,” Hendrikx explains. “It sounds a little bit technical, but basically, it feels — it is — pure mushroom. It’s super soft, almost like velvet.”

That “velvet” softness has surprised many funeral directors and families who’ve handled the Loop Living Cocoon, the company’s biodegradable coffin grown from mycelium — the root structure of mushrooms — and hemp fibers. 

It’s the same material that composes Loop Biotech’s newest deathcare product, Loop FurEver™, the world’s first mushroom urn for animals. Announced on World Animal Day (October 2, 2025), the urn is designed for both indoor keepsake and outdoor burial.

“They’re very cuddly,” Hendrikx says with a smile.

The urn comes in two sizes — 0.5 liters for smaller animals and 1.5 liters for larger pets — and is crafted from mycelium and upcycled hemp fibers. When buried, it biodegrades fully within 45 days, enriching the soil. Families can also keep it indoors as a natural, organic memorial. 

Easier than ever before

No matter which of Loop Biotech’s products deathcare professionals may be interested in, it’s easier than ever before to offer them to the families you serve. In the early days, every casket shipped from the Netherlands — a logistical nightmare for a time-sensitive profession.

“People died and I was like, hey, can you ship it? Sure,” Hendrikx laughs. “It takes one month — or a few days if it goes by air, but that’s super expensive.”

Now, Loop Biotech has warehouses in New York and Los Angeles, allowing next-day delivery anywhere in the U.S.

“That totally changed,” Hendrikx says. “We can have it the next day with any family member, which is a huge win.”

An ever-expanding footprint

The company has also built its business around transparency and practicality.

“We’re super transparent with pricing,” Hendrikx explains. “We have a distribution model, regular funeral home model, and end-consumer pricing — with enough margins for all parties to eat and make sure the sustainable impact goes hand in hand with profits. Because in the end, we can only make a sustainable impact if there really is a functioning business model.”

That three-pronged distribution model has proved successful for Loop Biotech, as the press and public accolades for its products have intrigued both corporate partners and eco-conscious individual families.

“We had several direct sales from families,” says Hendrikx. “We had various indirect sales via partners. We onboarded new partners like Titan Casket, Passages International, and recently also in Canada with Mount Pleasant Group and Victoriaville. We see a lot of interest coming up from various angles — a lot to juggle, but the good problems to have.”

Those “good problems” reflect the momentum of a young company scaling fast. Hendrikx estimates that 15 to 20 burials using the mushroom casket have already taken place in the United States.

With U.S. warehouses, expanding partnerships, and international recognition, Hendrikx says the next step is deepening their North American presence — and perhaps a broader retail partnership. To learn more about Loop Biotech, reach out to Hendrikx and his team at https://loop-biotech.com/contact/.