07/22/2026
🐬 From clay to paper to the sea: our newest full-sized biodegradable urn, Dolphin
Like every biodegradable urn in our collection, Dolphin began as a clay sculpture, handmade by me over many hours in our Albuquerque studio.
Once the sculpture is finished, it’s cut into sections so it fits into the kiln (and later, into shipping boxes).
After weeks of drying, the sections are fired slowly, along with 🤞 that nothing cracks, blows up, or otherwise self-destructs in the kiln (no guarantees with ceramics). Once the sculpture emerges as hard, durable ceramic, it’s shipped to our incredible artisan partners in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
From there, lead artist Cruz takes over, creating plaster molds from the original. Those molds are used to construct a prototype that’s shipped to us for approval or adjustments. Once the prototype is ready, more molds are made & each biodegradable urn is individually crafted in recycled paper with plant-based glue — a slow, exacting process that takes true craftsmanship and patience to get right.
Cruz’s workshop is a multi-generational family business, run out of their own home.
Behind the scenes, our partner Mariano manages shipping, receiving, and countless other logistics, making sure every urn travels safely from Mexico to New Mexico.
Our entire line of biodegradable cremation urns exists only because of the dedication and expertise of our partners in Mexico. Each urn purchased from us supports artisans who are fairly compensated for their talents, working in a traditional art form. Muchísimas gracias. 💙
