Why Do Burial Shrouds Play Such an Important Role in Green Burials? An Interview with Kate Hoover, Part Two

Today SevenPonds speaks with Kate Hoover, the founder of Vale Shrouds. Based in Brooklyn, NY, Kate studied sociology at Barnard College and fashion design at Parsons School of Design. She has worked in the garment and publishing industries in various design capacities. After practicing yoga for over a decade, she received her yoga teacher training certification from Integral Yoga in 2011. She studied and volunteered with the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care from 2012-2014. In the second part of her two-part interview (read the first part here), she discusses the selection process for burial shrouds, her personal experiences making them and how readers can learn more about utilizing them.

Credit: Kate Hoover

Zoë: Who is usually involved in selecting the shroud? Do you more often find loved ones picking out one for the person who has died or is it more common for someone to choose how they want one made for him or her before death happens?

Kate: Depending on the situation, one finds different approaches. It’s not always possible to have a plan in place ahead of time, and in that instance the choice becomes someone’s other than the deceased. Our culture seems to be moving towards more awareness and openness around talking about death and dying, though, and this has encouraged people to start thinking ahead and choosing things like a shroud or type of ceremony before death happens. This doesn’t always mean it’s a solo project, however; often family and loved ones are involved in the process of choosing a shroud for someone who is dying.

Zoë: What would be the price range for someone interested in purchasing one of your handmade shrouds for the burial of a loved one?

Kate: My shroud can be made with or without carrying straps. With straps, the price is $750; without straps, the price is $550. The additional cost to customize depends on the level of intricacy. (However, incorporating a loved quilt or favorite fabric on the upper side of the shroud is relatively simple.)

An example of a Vale Shrouds’ burial shroud with flowers
(Credit: Kate Hoover)

Zoë: Do you have any stories that you’d like to share of your personal experiences of creating shrouds and talking to people about shrouds and the important roles they play in green burials?

Kate: There is something comforting about a shroud — that’s an element I didn’t fully appreciate until after I started showing people the shrouds I make. It’s as if the shroud has the power to confer a sense of safety or comfort, and to allow people to open up and share their feelings. I’m not exactly sure what contributes to that feeling of comforting. Maybe it’s that there’s a symmetry of being swaddled at birth and then again being swaddled at death; maybe there’s a connection to our beds where we rest and dream; maybe it’s the softness of the materials coupled with the sturdiness of the design. Whatever it is, I find that people respond to a shroud in a way that is more easeful and emotionally open than I imagine they do to a casket. I am struck, too, by how the ritual of shrouding allows us to have a final moment where we take care of a loved one, and in that way affirm and celebrate the meaningfulness of that relationship.

Kate Hoover’s 5 Ways to Personalize a Shroud:

1) Tuck notes and mementos into the straps or interior. (Note green cemeteries may restrict items to only those that can biodegrade — check with yours).

2) Embroider or paint designs and words (use earth-friendly paints for green ceremonies).

3) Add petals, flowers, grasses, herbs or perfumes.

4) Consult with a shroud maker to incorporate a favorite quilt or other fabric.

5) Sew your own! There are simple, free shroud patterns on cindea.ca.

Zoë: Do you have any advice for our readers interested in learning more about and possibly utilizing a shroud in either their loved ones’ or their own eventual burials?

Kate: Shrouds are versatile. They can be used in green burials either alone or with a biodegradable casket. Placed within a cardboard cremation container or casket, they can be used in cremation and conventional burial, too.

My advice would be that if you are planning a cemetery burial, find a shroud-savvy funeral director. She will be able to point you in the direction of cemeteries accepting shrouded burials. For the most part, the only cemeteries accepting shrouded burials without a casket are the cemeteries listed with the Green Burial Council. Burial requirements vary by state and by cemetery, so it’s good to confirm your plans with your cemetery or funeral director. The Funeral Consumers Alliance has helpful pamphlets on funeral planning and local resources, also. The National Home Funeral Alliance is also an amazing source of information on green burial and shroud use.

I would encourage people to consider making their own shrouds if they have the inclination, too. CINDEA.ca (Canadian Integrative Network for Death Education and Alternatives) has free shroud patterns and a wealth of pre-plan and at-need information (support services, home funeral guides, advance care planning, etc.).

Planning ahead helps to make things less stressful once the time for the ceremony is at hand. Considering these things can be very life-affirming. Defining what is important to you in death often reveals what is important to you in life. The more in advance you look at that, the more time you have to live a life that is in accord with and celebrates your values.

It’s important to talk to your loved ones about their wishes (and your own)! Make sure someone knows where the paperwork is, who the funeral home is and where the shroud is stored. Often people don’t share this information because they think it will make loved ones uncomfortable, but my experience has been that most of us are more open to talking about these things than one would expect.