How Much Does a Wicker Coffin Cost?

Losing someone you love is hard enough without having to untangle confusing price lists too. If you've started looking into wicker coffins, you've probably already noticed that prices seem to be all over the place - one website says £300, another says £1,000, and nobody quite explains why.

So let's cut to the chase.

The Short Answer: Average Wicker Coffin Price in the UK

Most wicker coffins in the UK cost somewhere between £300 and £1,000, with the average landing around £500-£700 depending on the material and where you buy it from. Simpler bamboo or seagrass styles tend to sit at the lower end, while hand-woven English willow coffins can push closer to £1,000.

At the affordable end of that scale, you'll find options like our own natural wicker coffins, which start from £325 and already include the lining and handles - no hidden extras to trip you up later.

That £300-£1,000 range isn't just a rough guess either. It lines up with what funeral price comparison sites consistently report, and it holds true whether you're buying through a funeral director or straight from a coffin maker. The real question isn't "what's the average price" so much as "why does the same type of coffin cost £350 in one place and £900 in another." That's what we'll unpack next.

What Actually Affects the Price of a Wicker Coffin

A wicker coffin isn't just a wicker coffin. Several things push the price up or pull it down, and knowing them helps you spot a fair deal from a mile off.

• Material - This is the biggest factor by far. Bamboo and seagrass coffins are usually the cheapest to weave, so they sit at the lower end of the price scale. Rattan sits in the middle. Hand-harvested English willow, woven by a skilled craftsperson, sits at the top - it takes longer to make and the raw material costs more. If you want to understand the differences properly, our guide to willow coffins breaks down how they compare to other woven options.

 

• Size - Larger coffins need more material and more weaving time, so expect to pay a bit more for an oversized option. Most suppliers offer a standard range of sizes, and choosing the right one matters for comfort and dignity, not just cost.

 

• Craftsmanship and finish - A tightly woven coffin with a smooth, even finish takes real skill to make. Coffins with extra flourishes - coloured weaves, decorative borders, external handles rather than rope ones - cost more simply because they take longer at the workbench.

• Where you buy it from - Here's the part nobody likes to admit: buying through a funeral director usually costs more than buying direct from the manufacturer. That's not necessarily because the funeral director is trying to overcharge you - there's a handling margin built in, and that's fair enough given the service they provide. But if you'd rather cut out the middleman, buying directly from a maker like our eco coffins and having it delivered straight to your funeral director is often the cheaper route, and completely above board.
  

• What's included - Lining, nameplate, and delivery can all be bundled in or charged separately, and this is where headline prices can be misleading. More on that below.

Wicker Coffin Prices by Type

Here's a rough guide to what you can expect to pay, based on material:

Bear in mind these are guide prices, not fixed figures - a supplier's reputation, delivery terms, and finish will all nudge the exact number up or down. If you'd like to compare a smoother, finer weave against a more traditional wicker look, it's worth reading up on seagrass coffins as well, since the two are often confused for one another.

Is a Wicker Coffin Cheaper Than a Traditional Coffin?

Generally speaking, yes - and often by quite a margin.

To put things in perspective, the average cost of a full funeral in the UK now sits at £3,828 for a simple, attended service, according to SunLife's most recent Cost of Dying Report. Add flowers, a wake, and other send-off touches, and that figure climbs to around £5,140. The coffin is only one piece of that bill, but it's a piece you actually have some control over.

Traditional solid wood or veneered coffins can run well past £1,000, especially with personalisation like engraving or premium fittings. A wicker coffin, by comparison, gives you a warm, natural look at a fraction of the cost - which is exactly why more families are choosing them for green burials and standard cremations alike. If you're weighing up wicker against other biodegradable options, our page on biodegradable coffins is a good next stop.

It's worth saying too that a lower price doesn't mean a lower standard. A well-made wicker coffin is sturdy, dignified, and built to do exactly what's needed - it's simply made from lighter, faster-growing materials than solid oak or mahogany.

What Should Be Included in the Price?

This is where it pays to read the fine print, because a "cheap" wicker coffin can end up costing more than expected once the extras are added on.

Before you commit, check whether the price includes:

• A liner, usually cotton, and ideally a natural fabric if you're planning a woodland or natural burial
• A nameplate, which should be biodegradable if the coffin is going into the ground
• Handles, and whether they're natural rope (better for a truly eco-friendly send-off) or metal, which some crematoria won't accept
• Delivery, since some suppliers charge £75-£100 extra to get the coffin to your funeral director

At EcoCoffin, the lining and rope handles are already built into the price you see, so there's nothing sprung on you at checkout. If you're unsure what's covered, our FAQ page answers most of the common questions families ask before ordering.

It's also worth knowing that wicker coffins break down naturally over time - usually within two to five years once buried - which is part of why they're such a popular choice for eco-conscious families. We've written more about that timeline and what affects it in our post on how long a wicker coffin takes to decompose, if that's something you'd like to understand better.

How to Choose the Right Wicker Coffin for Your Budget

There's no need to overthink this, but a few simple checks will save you money and hassle:

1. Decide on burial or cremation first. Not every coffin is suitable for both, so confirm this before you fall in love with a design.
2. Ask your funeral director if they'll accept a coffin bought elsewhere. Most will, and as an FSA member, we're accepted by funeral directors across the UK - but it's still worth a quick phone call to confirm.
3. Compare like for like. A £350 coffin with lining and handles included beats a £300 one that adds £95 for delivery and £40 for a nameplate.
4. Buy direct where you can. It genuinely is the simplest way to keep costs down without cutting corners on quality.

If you'd rather browse than read, our wooden eco coffins and woven ranges sit alongside the wicker options, so you can compare styles and prices side by side in one place.

Eco Coffin Prices at a Glance

If you'd rather skip straight to real prices instead of estimates, here's what each of our own ranges starts from:

Every price above already includes the organic cotton lining and natural rope handles, so there's nothing extra to factor in before checkout.

A Farewell That's Kind to Both Budget and Planet

At the end of the day, choosing a coffin is a personal decision, not just a financial one. But it's reassuring to know that a natural, biodegradable option doesn't have to stretch the budget - if anything, it's often the more affordable choice, without asking you to compromise on dignity.

If you'd like to see the range for yourself, take a look through our full range of eco coffins, or get in touch with our team - we're always happy to talk things through, with no pressure at all.