The Story Behind Outside The Box Caskets
Outside The Box Caskets was created by New Zealand Industrial Designer Becs Bartells. The goal was to give families a more personal and sustainable way to say goodbye.
The idea started more than a decade ago when Becs was preparing for her Nana Pearl's funeral. She was surprised by how limited and impersonal the casket options felt. Nothing really reflected the person or was kind to the planet.
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So she decided to change that.
With her background in industrial design and experience exhibiting at the Milan Furniture Fair in Italy, Becs set out to create something different. A beautifully made eco cardboard casket that felt modern, respectful, and nothing like a traditional coffin.
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After two years of design, structural engineering, testing and refinement, Outside The Box Caskets launched in 2019. It became the first cardboard casket in New Zealand to be certified by Natural Burials NZ.
Our Design
Our caskets are the result of New Zealand industrial design expertise. The signature curved lid and structural system are original New Zealand designs, protected by registered design rights and design patents across multiple territories. Every casket is engineered for strength, ease of handling by pallbearers, and suitability for both burial and cremation while staying 100% biodegradable.
In 2020 the design won Gold at the PIDA Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design Awards and Gold at Good Design Australia. The PIDA judges were so impressed they created an entirely new category called "Outside of the Box" just for this design. They highlighted the distinctive curved lid and side profile, the fully compostable structure that requires no glue, staples, screws or metal parts, and noted it was the first casket in New Zealand to meet Natural Burials requirements.
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Each casket is printed with eco-friendly inks and manufactured here in New Zealand.
In 2024 we expanded internationally through licensed manufacturing partners. Outside The Box Caskets is now manufactured locally and available through funeral homes in both New Zealand and Australia.
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Want the full journey from garage workshop prototypes to an award winning international brand?
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