The natural choice for new design caskets ...

Return To Sender is New Zealand's leading designer and manufacturer of 'new design caskets', catering to the growing number of people looking for less traditional, aesthetically designed and environmentally preferable coffins.

For people who want to make their final footprint a small one.

We offer a wide range of real and hand-finished options made from sustainable wood, some with native timbers. Our designs are environmentally considered - if there's a better way to do it we're probably already doing so - and our appropriately priced caskets meet the highest performance requirements due to the functional construction techniques we apply. Environmental considerations include material choice, assembly options (fixings), handles, finishes and, of course, just using less material to make the caskets.

Origin
The idea behind Return To Sender eco caskets began in 2005 when the designer, Greg Holdsworth, returned suddenly to New Zealand upon the death of his father-in-law. Having returned to Auckland Greg and his wife, Leanne, came to grips with the body laid to rest in a coffin in the family home then noticed something just wasn't right. While standing by the coffin Greg noticed the 'metal' handles weren't cold and discovered they were, in fact, plastic made to look like metal. On closer inspection he discovered that the coffin wasn't what it seemed either, it was MDF with a plastic woodgrain applied to the outside. Even the lining material was artificial. If the environmental aspects of this discovery wasn't enough he was struck with a feeling that the values of the coffin in no way matched the values of the man. Mike Jones was a passionate about timber and spent his weekends rebuilding wooden sailing boats.

Some years later Greg's own father died. The difficulty sourcing an authentic coffin motivated the foundation of Return To Sender. Why should you be treated in death differently to the the way you live your life? Return To Sender is committed to allowing you to be alighed with your values at this difficult time. An authenticly lived life deserves an authentic ending.

Purpose
The purpose of the company is to make a significant positive difference to the environmental impact of funerals both in New Zealand and overseas. The strategy used to achieve this is to use design to create 'new design' environmentally considered caskets, and through education and training programs for the funeral industry.

Contact
Return To Sender caskets
Tel: 0800 COFFIN (263346)
info@returntosender.co.nz