Artisanal Casket Maker Insists Each Piece Is 'Farm-to-Grave'

Portland woodworker Jasper Aldaine has built a thriving business crafting artisanal caskets from sustainably harvested timber, each one delivered with a certificate of provenance that traces the wood to a specific named tree, its GPS coordinates, and a brief biography of the tree's life written by Aldaine himself. 'This is Meredith,' Aldaine said, running his hand along a walnut casket in his workshop. 'She grew on a hillside in the Willamette Valley for 140 years. She survived two droughts, a lightning strike, and a proposal that was carved into her trunk in 1978. She deserves to be more than lumber. She deserves to be a vessel.' Each casket takes between four and six weeks to complete. Aldaine hand-selects the timber, mills it in his shop, and forges all hardware -- hinges, handles, and clasps -- from reclaimed iron. The interior lining is organic cotton dyed with plant-based pigments. Prices start at $15,000. The 'farm-to-grave' label, which Aldaine trademarked in 2023, has resonated with a clientele he describes as 'people who read the sourcing information on their coffee beans and want the same transparency for their eternal resting vessel.' Not everyone is convinced. 'It's a box,' said Gerald Humphries, a funeral director from Akron. 'A well-made box, sure. But at the end of the day, the occupant is not going to appreciate the hand-forged hinges. They're deceased.' Aldaine disagrees. 'The casket is the last object that holds a person,' he said. 'It should be made with intention. It should tell a story. The story of the wood, the story of the craftsman, and the story of the person inside.' He has a waiting list of eight months. Three clients have requested specific trees. One has asked if Aldaine can plant a tree now and use it for a casket in approximately sixty years. 'I said yes,' Aldaine confirmed. 'That's long-term planning. I respect it.'