To choose a cremation urn, you should consider how much volume you will need, along with how the urn will be used. If the urn will be used to hold an adult's complete amount of ashes, you will likely want a standard-sized urn, which is designed to accommodate most adults.
Our urn size calculator can help you estimate the volume of your loved one's cremated remains and determine what size urn may be appropriate.
Once you have an urn size in mind, you can select an urn material based on the urn's intended use, such as whether it will be displayed, buried, or used for scattering.
For every urn size and urn material, there are beautiful urn options to choose from, and you can pick a design that speaks to you or that fittingly memorializes your loved one.
When you receive the remains of your loved one, the bag of ashes will include a small metal disk with a number on it. This metal disk has been used to identify your loved one prior to cremation, with the number being a unique identification number, and has not left your loved one's side through the cremation process.
Anyone can fill a cremation urn with ashes or other sentimental items, and there are no special qualifications or training needed. However, if you are uncomfortable with handling your loved one's cremated remains, you can ask your funeral home or cremation provider to fill the urn for you.
A cremation urn is a type of container used to hold the cremated remains of a person. Urns for ashes can hold some or all of a person's remains, and can be made from several different materials including metal, wood, stone, and paper. Traditional urns are shaped like vases or jars, but urns can also be shaped like boxes or take contemporary designs, like the 3D-printed urns available at In the Light Urns. Urns can be customized with different designs, themes, or engravings to honor a person's memory and memorialize them.
A cremation urn can cost anywhere from $10 to $500 or more, depending on factors like material, size, and detail. Jewelry urns and keepsakes, meant to hold a small or minuscule portion of ashes, are generally more affordable than standard, extra-large, and companion cremation urns which hold one or more person's complete remains. However, a jewelry urn made of 14KT gold will be more expensive than a standard urn made from wood or brass, despite the jewelry urn having a substantially smaller volume. Most customers looking to purchase a standard-sized urn for ashes can expect to spend between $100 to $350.
In the United States, you must obtain permission to scatter ashes on private property. Therefore, in places such as Disneyland or Disney World that do not grant permission for visitors to scatter ashes on their property, scattering ashes is illegal.
Cremated remains entering the United States have no permit or importation requirements. These "ashes," which are processed bone fragments left over from the cremation process, are sterile because any tissue, blood, or other decomposable material that can transmit disease has been burned away during cremation. Other human remains that require no permit for importation include clean and dry bones, hair, teeth, and finger or toe nails. A deceased person's body that is entering the United States for later burial or cremation must be accompanied by a death certificate and be cleared for entry.
If a cremation urn has not been permanently sealed with glue, it can be opened again by unscrewing the threaded closure or removing any screws holding a lid in place. An urn may be opened to transfer the remains into a new urn, perhaps because the current urn is a temporary container or a new urn has been chosen for the ashes. An urn may also be opened to remove the remains for other final disposition, such as scattering. However, a cremation urn does not need to be opened for maintenance or cleaning, and does not need to be replaced unless the urn is damaged. Opening an urn can introduce moisture to cremated remains, so it shouldn't be opened unless necessary.
For couples that wish to both be cremated, companion urns allow their ashes to be stored together after death. The ashes of an average adult typically require about 200 cubic inches of space, so companion urns have a capacity of at least 400 cubic inches combined. They can have either separate compartments or a single large space to accommodate two or more cremated bodies in one urn. When placing the remains of multiple people in one companion urn, you can choose to keep the ashes separate in bags or pour them together into the urn, mixing the remains.
Cremation jewelry typically has a small compartment where a tiny amount of ashes can be placed, often sealed with a screw or other closure method. For your convenience, we include a filling kit with each jewelry order, which contains a detailed instruction pamphlet, a funnel, a pipette, a toothpick, and sealing glue.
Cremation urns made from metal and stone are best for burying ashes, because these materials are strong enough to resist collapsing under the weight and pressure of soil. Urns made of wood may still be buried if the urn is enclosed in an urn vault designed for burial, but metal and stone urns are preferable because wooden urns may degrade over time from moisture. Biodegradable urns are also ideal for burial, because they are designed to break down in soil and water in an eco-friendly manner. You should decide if you prefer to bury an urn that will last for decades or centuries, or an urn that will break down and leave no environmental impact.
The best material for a cremation urn depends on personal preference, intended use, and budget.
Metal, stone, and resin urns are the most durable urns, ideal for outdoor settings or burial.
Wood, glass, and ceramic urns last longer in controlled environments, so these urns are great options for an interior setting such as home display or interment within a columbarium.
The most affordable cremation urns are made of biodegradable materials, which will suit those looking for environmentally-conscious choices.
After you are cremated, your ashes can be buried in a variety of ways, such as in a traditional cemetery plot, a columbarium niche, or even in a family member's garden. The ashes can be placed in an urn or biodegradable container before burial, or they may be deposited directly into the ground, similar to a scattering.
Protocol for burying ashes will depend on the location you have chosen for burial. The majority of cemeteries will ask that you bury your loved one's remains within an urn, and many will additionally require that urn to be inside an urn vault. Biodegradable urns may be accepted at cemeteries, but ask your specific location to confirm. If you are burying your loved one's ashes on another public or private property, obtain permission and ask what conditions you must follow. Make sure you are also complying with any local or state laws regarding burial of human remains.
There is no best way to bury cremated remains, and it depends on you and your deceased loved one's preferences. You may opt to use a biodegradable urn if you prefer an eco-friendly option, or choose a traditional urn and an optional urn vault for a permanent placement. You may also consider burying the ashes directly into the soil. Any of these options are respectable ways to honor your loved one's remains, and you can choose whichever method you prefer. If you have a location in mind, they may already have made this choice for you depending on their conditions for burial.
To fill a cremation urn with ashes, you can use direct transfer, bag transfer, or bag-to-bag transfer. The simplest way to fill a cremation urn is through bag transfer, where you simply place the entire bag of ashes inside the urn. Pouring ashes from their bag into the urn itself is called direct transfer, while pouring ashes from one bag into another bag is called bag-to-bag transfer. Any of these three methods will work to fill a cremation urn. If you are filling a smaller urn such as a medium urn or a keepsake urn, you can use direct transfer to pour some ashes into the urn, or use bag-to-bag transfer to portion out some ashes into a smaller bag before using bag transfer to place the smaller bag into the urn.
Cremated remains can either go directly inside an urn or be contained in a bag inside the urn. When you receive your loved one's ashes from the crematorium, the ashes will already be inside a plastic bag, so you can either place the entire bag inside the urn or pour the ashes from the bag into the urn.
You can use any container you find appropriate to hold your loved one's ashes or your future ashes, and if you feel that no cremation urns you find are suitable, you can make your own urn for ashes. However, depending on the materials you use to create a DIY urn, the urn may not be as durable and long-lasting as an urn that was professionally manufactured. At In the Light Urns, we create custom cremation urns for ashes and can help you make a personalized urn for your needs. Our 3D-printed custom urns are excellent choices for an urn that you can design to be printed in any shape or style imaginable.