75. Portland Natural Caskets
Some people, like Mr. Scott Cummings, are obsessed with death.
Scotty makes “green” caskets.
What makes a casket green?
Good question. (Hint: it’s not green paint or copper-related oxidation.)
They’re made in Portland out of pine that comes from Oregon. The caskets contain no metal. And even the glue and finishes are “environmentally safe, non-toxic, and contain zero V.O.C.” The caskets are even certified by the Green Burial Council.
I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Cummings yesterday. And Scotty has opinions on fishing (bad), shrouds (good), silver fillings (pollutants!) and so much more. Especially when it comes to dead people and the environment. Talking with him is kinda like watching Six Feet Under, only real. Dude knows his death and dying.
Here’s what he has to say for himself on his casketsite:
And the green caskets are pretty cool. They’re not green in color, which is disappointing, but they are very nice nonetheless.
Check it:
Even cooler, however, are the cremation urns. Apparently Portland, where Scotty lives, is “90% cremation.” So even though he don’t like it, Scotty’s gotta go with the times and make some (rectangular) urns.
This is my favorite:
This urn would be an easy one to integrate into your mid-century modern living room! I think the inside should be painted Robin’s Egg Blue. Also, there should be a record player on top.
Here’s another example:
It’s for those times when you only wanna keep a few of your loved one’s ashes.
And finally, Scotty’s first urn:
For those who wish to learn more about the life of this fantastic man, here’s Scotty’s blog. You’re welcome.









Daniel replied:
There’s a book called “The World Without Us” by Alan Weisman, and he talks about the subject of burial, specifically green burial, and what our conventional processes actually achieve (but mostly don’t achieve) in terms of preservation. If you’re interested, flip to the chapter 17 next time you go to Politics and Prose! It’s actually a really amazing book overall as well.
January 21, 2010 at 7:33 pm. Permalink.
scottycummings replied:
This too
http://www.behance.net/scottycummings
January 21, 2010 at 8:15 pm. Permalink.
id replied:
Creepy, but interesting. Where do you FIND this stuff??
January 21, 2010 at 8:16 pm. Permalink.
109. Square Form « Things That Are Rectangles replied:
[...] featured super-talented designer/fabricator Scotty Cummings before. He owns Portland Natural Caskets and [...]
November 5, 2010 at 8:17 pm. Permalink.