Home grown willow

Handmade in Scotland

Koren Calder working on creating a woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin in her woodworking shed. The shed has wooden walls and shelves filled with tools and supplies in the background.
A woven Away with Willow wicker coffin lying on lush green grass with a small Border Terrier dog in the background near Edinburgh, East Lothian Scotland.

Woven with love

An example of a large wicker willow heart that can be created as an optional extra to decorate your Away with Willow coffin.
An Away with Willow wicker coffin with a strong birch/ pine wooden base outdoors in the field near the workshop on the outskirts of Edinburgh , Scotland.

Away with Willow Coffins are appropriate for cremation, traditional burials, and some green woodland burial sites**

An Away with Willow Coffin can be personally delivered locally or couriered further afield.

The early stages of the creation of an Away with Willow coffin all handcrafted locally in the workshop, using home grown willow near Edinburgh , Scotland

All Away with Willow Coffins are handcrafted individually.

A woodworking workspace with an unfinished Away with Willow wicker coffin, tools like pliers and a chisel on a wooden workbench, and shelves with supplies in the background.
A small woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin for a child, baby or beloved pet placed on green grass outside the workshop near Edinburgh, Scotland.

For each Away with Willow Coffin purchased a new tree will be planted. This new woodland, next to the willow field, reflects the cycle of life and is at the centre of the Away with Willow Coffin’s concept, from death new life is born.

Rolling green hills under a blue sky with light clouds and contrails.

Away with Willow Coffins aim, is to ensure a gentle, loving departure by providing at it’s heart a sustainable, environmentally friendly approach.

Sunlight shining over the willow field with trees in the background, near Edinburgh , Scotland.

The willow field….

All Away with Willow Coffins are individually handmade and include:

  • A lining of 100% natural, unbleached cotton calico;

  • A solid weight bearing wooden birch/ pine base;

Close-up of a wicker willow coffin among dried willow rods in the workshop for Away with Willow coffins located near Edinburgh, Scotland.

  • Locally grown, handwoven Scottish willow - sides and lid;

A close up of the woven willow lid for a large Away with Willow coffin stacked indoors against a wooden wall.

  • Strong, full weight bearing, natural fibre, sisal rope handles;

  • Handcrafted hazel wood toggles, which hold the lid securely in place.

Close-up of a hand carved brown wooden hazel stick toggle used to secure the lid on an Away with Willow coffin.
The willow field near Edinburgh, Scotland.

  • The willow used to make the Away with Willow Coffins is locally grown and sustainable. The willow is harvested every year during the Winter, by hand, and it takes approximately 8 weeks to get the full harvest safely gathered in.

  • The willow needs to be soaked before use and this process can take up to a week depending on the length and thickness of each rod and weaver.

  • Because every Away with Willow Coffin is individually handcrafted, it can take up to 5 days to complete each one.

Close-up of a woven wicker Away with Willow coffin basket resting on green grass.

Extra Large coffins

Length: up to 6ft 4” (195cm)

Width: Up to 2ft (60cm) across at the shoulders

Up to 20 stone (127Kgs)**

Cost: £850

Sizes

Large coffins

Length: up to 6ft (183cm)

Width: Up to 2ft (60cm) across at the shoulders

Up to 20 stone (127Kgs)**

Cost: £800

An Away with Willow wicker coffin with a strong birch/ pine wooden base outdoors in the field near the workshop on the outskirts of Edinburgh , Scotland.

Medium coffins

A rustic, individual free flowing design

Length: up to 5ft 6” (160cm)

Width: Up to 2ft (60cm) across at the shoulders

Up to 20 stone (127Kgs)**

Cost: £750

**All the bases used to make the coffins have been tested and can carry weights as outlined above.

If the size you require is unavailable, please make an enquiry and I will do my best to make what you need, please allow up to 12 days (this is the approximate time it takes me to soak and prepare the willow and weave an individually, handcrafted coffin).

**Natural burial sites have individual regulations - Away with Willow Coffins have wooden birch/ pine plywood bases that contain glue (this is bio degrading but please check these wooden bases are accepted in your chosen location). All the other parts of Away with Willow Coffins are 100% natural including sisal rope handles, unbleached 100% calico cotton lining, sheep fleece and calico cotton pillows and locally grown willow woven sides and lid (no air miles).

Small Coffin

A delicate design

Length: Up to 4ft (60cm)

Width: Up to 1ft3” across at the shoulders (40 cm)

Up to 10 stone (63.5 Kgs)**

Cost: £350

A small woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin for a child, baby or beloved pet placed on green grass outside the workshop near Edinburgh, Scotland.
Stacked woven Away with Willow coffin in the Naturally Useful design.
Stacked woven Away with Willow coffin in the Naturally Useful design showing natural sisal rope handles.

Current Availability

Medium coffin

Close-up of a woven wicker Away with Willow coffin basket resting on green grass.

£750

A design by Naturally Useful

Length: up to 5ft 6” (172cm)

Width: Up to 2ft (60cm) across at the shoulders

Up to 20 stone (127Kgs)**

A woven wicker Away with Willow coffin basket with a wooden birch / pine interior, placed on grass outdoors.

Medium coffin

£750

A rustic, individual free flowing design

Length: up to 5ft 6” (170cm)

Width: Up to 2ft (60cm) across at the shoulders

Up to 20 stone (127Kgs)**

A small woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin for a child, baby or beloved pet placed on green grass outside the workshop near Edinburgh, Scotland.
A small woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin for a child, baby or beloved pet placed on green grass outside the workshop near Edinburgh, Scotland.

Small Coffin

£350

A delicate design

Length: Up to 4ft (60cm)

Width: Up to 1ft3” across at the shoulders (40 cm)

Up to 10 stone (63.5 Kgs)**

A scenic landscape with a rainbow arching across a partly cloudy sky over a green pasture with trees and grazing animals.

I can also create a delicate basket based woven coffin for a beloved pet. Please enquire here.

Green leaves of a plant in the foreground with a wicker Away with Willow coffin basket and trees in the background.

Medium coffin

£750

A rustic, individual free flowing design

Length: up to 5ft 6” (170cm)

Width: Up to 2ft (60cm) across at the shoulders

Up to 20 stone (127Kgs)**

An Away with Willow wicker coffin with a strong birch/ pine wooden base outdoors in the field near the workshop on the outskirts of Edinburgh , Scotland.
The willow field near Edinburgh, Scotland.

Necessary extras

Natural burial grounds, cemeteries and crematoriums have a legal requirement for a name plate to accompany any coffin. The name plate must contain the person who has passed away’s date of birth, date of death/ age at death and their legal name (you can add an additional nick name if you would like to).

If you would like me to provide a wooden name plate please let me know.

Cost of preparation and provision of wooden name plate £45

Delivery Details

I can deliver an Away with Willow Coffin to you or your Funeral Director if located in or around: Edinburgh, East Lothian, Fife, Scottish Borders or North Northumberland. (Delivery costs on average are between £15 to £120 depending on distance).

If you are further afield, I will arrange for next day delivery (but please allow for up to 48 hours delivery time). Courier details and their costs will be included, when I send your confirmation email and invoice.

Once you place an order I will be in touch to confirm everything and get the final details from you including:

  • Shipping address details

  • Funeral Director’s name and address (if applicable)

I can also create individual willow hearts to adorn your loved one’s coffin. These hearts come in a variety of sizes and are open or woven depending on your preference. If you would like me to include some or all of these optional extras, please let me know.

Optional extras

A wicker Away with Willow Coffin with a woven heart-shaped design made by Koren from locally grown Scottish willow, attached to the front.

Small open willow hearts

£5 each

Close-up of woven Away with Willow wicker coffin project in progress (not bamboo or cardboard), in the workshop near Edinburgh, Scotland, with a blurred background of greenery outside.

Small woven willow hearts

£15 each

Large open willow hearts

£15 each

Close-up of an Away with Willow wicker basket coffin with a lovingly woven willow heart in front of a window showing a garden and shed outside.
A woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin with an open willow heart resting on a wooden surface.

Away with Willow Coffins

Individually handcrafted, using natural materials - “Woven with Love”

Large woven willow hearts

£25 each

Close-up of a large woven heart created by Koren from awaywithwillowcoffins.com

I can also weave a willow casket (as a keepsake, using the same-coloured willow as your chosen coffin) with a calico cotton draw string lining to hold your loved one’s ashes, (and adorned with willow hearts, if you would like this too).

A woven willow casket that will be created using the same willow as was used to make the Away with Willow Coffin, it will contain a drawstring cotton calico bag to hold your loved one's ashes and adorned with woven willow hearts.

Woven willow ash casket keepsake

£65 each

Cotton calico pillows stuffed with sheep fleece and a blurred image of dried plants and lavender in the foreground.

Optional calico cotton pillows stuffed with sheep’s fleece are also available £15 each

The willow field near Edinburgh, Scotland with willow growing in the foreground and trees in a natural outdoor setting in the distance.
Koren Calder working on creating a woven Away with Willow wicker basket coffin in her woodworking shed. The shed has wooden walls and shelves filled with tools and supplies in the background.
Stacked Away with Willow coffins in different sizes and shapes.

The story so far….

Through out my career to date (30 years!) I have worked in a wide variety of roles within the charity sector supporting and training those in many different circumstances of need. About 8 years ago along side this work I began rewilding and enhancing a small holding and started to grow a variety of trees as well as a willow patch. Over time this evolved into using the willow to weave baskets in my spare time, as well as working as the Manager for a project called Reading is Caring at the charity Scottish Book Trust. As part of this work at Scottish Book Trust I supported family carers and those they care for and found myself involved in sensitive but important discussions around end of life care.

Then in June 2025, combining all my skills, Away with willow Coffins was born.

I am passionate about the environment and wanted to try and play a part where our natural world could be enhanced and in some ways repaired. I am also keen to create an opportunity where, at a time of sadness and farewell, I can help you incorporate the healing power of the natural world too. By purchasing an Away with Willow Coffin you will be both contributing to the creation of a new woodland and with each tree planted it will be in honour of your recently departed loved one.

So an Away with Willow Coffin is a sustainable option to consider during end of life care preparations, enabling loved ones to return to our natural world in a lovingly, handcrafted construction which includes:

  • Locally grown will0w from just outside Edinburgh;

  • A unique, individual willow coffin personally handcrafted by me.

    Away with Willow Coffins are different from other willow and wooden coffins as they have soft curved rounded ends, and because I keep the bark on (hence the green look) unlike the look of some other willow coffins (who use buff willow) the smell and softer feel of fresh cut willow is retained.

    I use a free-flowing technique which also creates a different texture and over all look. Adding woven willow hearts (which you can find out more about here) I hope will also create the feel of a natural loving farewell in a coffin that I promise I will weave with love.

    Away with Willow Coffins are

About Away with Willow Coffins

Koren wearing a pink beanie with a pom-pom, a beige sweater, and her grey overalls holding her Border Terrier Maple inside her workshop near Edinburgh, Scotland.