No Two People Are the Same. Neither Are Our Caskets.

When someone we love dies, we often find ourselves searching for ways to say what words can't quite capture. A favourite colour. A place they always wanted to return to. The smell of sunflowers in their garden, or the way they lit up around their dog.

For most of New Zealand's funeral history, families have had very little choice in how their loved one was presented. A timber or MDF casket in a handful of standard finishes, chosen under pressure, in the hardest days of their lives.

Outside The Box Caskets exists to change that.

A Casket That Tells Their Story

Our custom design service lets families create a casket lid that is completely one of a kind. Designed around your photos, your artwork, your colours, your memories. A fishing spot on the Waikato. A beloved border collie. A lifetime of roses tended by patient hands.

Every custom lid is printed on a white base for a vivid, photographic finish. No two are ever the same, because no two people ever are.

The casket itself is made right here in New Zealand, from specially engineered 100% biodegradable ecological board. Not your standard cardboard. This is structural engineering that's been tested and certified for both burial and cremation. No plastic, no metal, no MDF.

"Can I Really Do This?" Questions Families Often Ask

Do I need to go through a funeral director?

Yes, our caskets are available through funeral homes across New Zealand. If your funeral director doesn't currently stock us, encourage them to get in touch. We're always happy to chat.

How long does a custom design take?

Once the design has been signed off with the family, caskets are turned around within three working days. Printing is done right here in Auckland, so talk to your funeral home about timing.

What about strength? Will cardboard really hold up?

This is the question we hear most, and it's a fair one. Our caskets are made from specially engineered ecological board that's nothing like regular cardboard. They're certified for both cremation and natural burial, designed to be carried by pallbearers, and they've been independently tested and proven. Two gold awards at Australasian design competitions speak for themselves.

Can families decorate a casket themselves?

Absolutely. Our plain natural kraft caskets are a beautiful blank canvas. Family members can paint, draw, write messages, or attach mementos. It can become a deeply personal part of the farewell ritual.

A Note for Funeral Directors

Families come to you in some of the hardest moments of their lives.

What you offer them matters.

Our caskets are not a novelty item. They are award winning, independently certified, and used in funeral services across New Zealand, Australia and soon to be the UK. They meet Green Burial and cremation requirements, designed to be used by pallbearers, and are made from specially engineered ecological board built for the purpose. Not regular cardboard. Specially engineered ecological board, designed by an industrial designer and rigorously tested.

Read the story about the designer and founder.