top of page
Living Coffin.
Are you waste or compost? Loop Biotech, founded by visionary Bob Hendrikx, is redefining the funeral industry by turning humans into compost. At Loop, we harness the power of mycelium to create living coffins that bring human nutrients back into the cycle of life in the most natural way possible. Our innovative mycelium-based coffin and urn enrich the soil and increase biodiversity, fostering new growth. Transforming graveyards into thriving forests.
The Living Coffin design embraces organism-centered thinking, utilizing mushrooms, nature's biggest recyclers, as the main material. Under ideal conditions, it decomposes completely within 45 days, enriching the earth and increasing soil fertility. During the product's seven-day growth phase, it uses only local materials and organisms, resulting in an exceptionally small carbon cycle. This design benefits the environment and promotes biodiversity. Additionally, the soft skin of the Living Coffin offers a unique and comforting resting place, considering emotional needs.
One of the key challenges addressed by the Living Coffin is the urgent need to mitigate the environmental impact of burials. By offering an eco-friendly alternative, Loop Biotech seeks to bring a positive footprint to traditional funerary practices. Already, more than 1,000 people across Europe have embraced this sustainable option, illustrating its growing acceptance and impact.
The scalability and replicability of the project are facilitated by the fast growth rate of the mushroom organisms used in the Living Coffin. This allows for efficient and local production, as well as widespread adoption, offering a highly scalable solution to the problem at hand.
Bob Hendrikx founded Loop Biotech in 2020, inspired by his quest for sustainable building during his studies at TU Delft. As a master's student in Architecture & Industrial Design, Hendrikx explored the idea of using mycelium – the root network of mushrooms and nature’s major recycler – to create living structures. This concept evolved into the creation of living coffins, turning the burial process into an opportunity to enrich the soil and promote biodiversity. Starting in the YES!Delft incubator, Loop Biotech has successfully transitioned from a lab-based project to a growing scale-up, dedicated to revolutionizing the funeral industry with sustainable innovation.
bottom of page