Sacred Wings Shrouds
The Shrouds
Every Sacred Wings shroud is made to hold the body with dignity, tenderness and care.
You may choose one of my existing shrouds just as it is, personalise one with meaningful details, or commission an entirely new design. Every approach begins with the same intention: to create a farewell that feels personal, thoughtful and true to the person being remembered.
Sacred Wings shrouds are designed to be used with a simple willow or wooden stretcher (sometimes called a carrier or tray), which supports the body throughout the funeral. The stretcher accompanies the body and is buried or cremated alongside it. If preferred, the shrouded body may also be placed inside a traditional coffin.
Willow stretchers are usually arranged by your funeral director, and I am happy to recommend experienced makers if needed.
Each shroud is carefully wrapped in my Brighton studio and supplied with illustrated step-by-step instructions for shrouding the body. Delivery within mainland UK is included in the price.
Below are the different forms my shrouds can take.
Swaddle Fold
A soft, enveloping wrap
The Swaddle Fold is wrapped around the body and secured with three ties. Many families describe the process as feeling less like preparing someone for burial and more like gently tucking them in.
Made from a long length of cloth, it offers opportunities to combine different fabrics. Some families choose to place treasured textiles, letters or photographs close to the body, while the outer layer becomes the final cloth seen during the funeral.
The ties can remain visible to hold flowers or messages, or be hidden beneath the outer layer for a quieter appearance.
Suitable for natural burial, cremation or use within a coffin.
Origami Fold
A sculptural farewell
Made from heavier natural fabrics, it uses folding rather than wrapping to create a calm, architectural shape. The body becomes gently held within the structure, while the folds create quiet places for flowers, letters or small objects of remembrance.
Where the Swaddle Fold speaks of intimacy, the Origami Fold feels more ceremonial. Some people are drawn to the sense of structure it offers during a public farewell, while still allowing moments of personal ritual as the folds are completed.
Its character can be transformed through the choice of fabric, together with handmade ties or an obi-inspired sash created especially for the person being remembered.
Sacred Wings
My signature two-part shroud for natural burial and traditional funerals.
The Sacred Wings set grew from my desire to create something that is both practical and deeply symbolic. I think of it as something between a burial shroud, a vessel and a contemporary funerary textile.
It consists of a simple inner Swaddle Fold shroud together with a soft outer cover shaped around two gently unfolding textile wings. Resting on a willow stretcher, the wings create a quiet sense of shelter while gently softening the outline of the body.
They offer a place for flowers, letters, herbs and other personal offerings, inviting family and friends to take part in the farewell through small acts of care.
For some, the wings suggest protection; for others, transition, freedom or simply the beauty of birds. Their meaning is intentionally left open, allowing each family to bring their own beliefs, memories and rituals to the farewell.
Soft Cover for Cremation
A ceremonial cover for the final farewell.
Designed for use with a willow cremation tray, this two part set combines a simple inner Swaddle Fold shroud with a separate soft cover gathered by concealed drawstrings.
As the cover is gently drawn around the tray, it creates soft sculptural folds that transform its practical shape into something calm, beautiful and held. The textile softens what can often feel clinical, offering families a gentler way to accompany the person they love.
Because the cover unfolds back into a single textile, it may also continue its life after the funeral. Some people choose to keep it as a memorial cloth, allowing it to remain part of family remembrance long after the burial.
Like all Sacred Wings designs, the cover can remain beautifully simple or be personalised with meaningful fabrics, botanical prints or handmade details that reflect the life being remembered.
Ties, Sashes and Pillows
Alongside my shrouds, I create decorative ties, wide sashes and small pillows filled with English sheep's fleece.
These can be chosen from existing designs or created especially for you using eco-printing, cyanotype, heirloom textiles, embroidery, meaningful words or symbolic imagery.
Sometimes it is these small details that transform a simple shroud into something deeply personal, reflecting the life, passions and memories of the person it honours.
