What's Inside a Pachamama Ceremony Kit? Everything You Get and Why It Matters
What's Inside a Pachamama Ceremony Kit? Everything You Get and Why It Matters
When you order a Pachamama urn, you don't receive just an urn. You receive everything you need for a complete ceremony: the vessel, the materials, the guidance, and even the music. Nothing to source separately. Nothing to figure out on your own.
I designed it this way on purpose. Because when you're grieving, the last thing you need is a checklist. You need to open a box and know that everything inside it was chosen with care, for you, for this moment, so you can focus on the only thing that matters: saying goodbye.
Here's what's inside, and why each piece is there.
The Biodegradable Urn
The urn itself is handcrafted from 100% biodegradable materials: cotton, natural paper, plant fibers, and tissue paper. Every component is non-toxic and designed to return to nature without leaving a trace.
It does not look clinical. It does not look disposable. It looks like something made by human hands with intention. If you've been wondering what a biodegradable urn actually looks like, this might surprise you. It's warm, textured, and beautiful in a quiet way that feels right for the moment.
The urn comes in three sizes. Large holds up to 6 lbs of ashes, suitable for most adults. Medium holds up to 3 lbs, right for partial remains, children, or shared ceremonies. Small holds a portion, perfect for keepsake memorials, multi-location farewells, or pets. If you're unsure which size you need, our sizing guide makes it simple.
The urn works for both water and earth ceremonies. In water, it floats for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before gently sinking and dissolving. In earth, it breaks down naturally over time, returning the ashes to the soil. You don't need to choose at the time of purchase. The same urn does both.
The Handmade Paper Flower
On top of each urn sits a handmade tissue paper flower. It's not decorative in the way a store-bought arrangement is decorative. It's symbolic. Someone made this by hand, for you, knowing what it would be used for.
The flower comes in assorted colors, each one a little different because each one is made individually. Some families place the flower on the water alongside the urn. Others keep it as a memento. Others press it into a journal or tuck it into a frame beside a photo. There's no right way to use it. It's yours to decide.
If the flower gets slightly compressed during shipping, it revives easily with a gentle touch. Several families have mentioned this. A light fluff with your fingers brings it right back.
The Biodegradable Ashes Bag
Inside the urn is a biodegradable bag designed to hold the cremated remains. You'll transfer the ashes from the temporary container provided by the crematorium into this bag, seal it with the ribbon or cord included, and place it inside the urn.
The bag is water-soluble. When the urn enters water, the bag dissolves within 1 to 2 minutes, releasing the ashes gently beneath the surface. For earth burials, the bag breaks down naturally in soil over time.
This is an important detail that many families appreciate: you never handle loose ashes during the ceremony. Everything stays contained, secure, and dignified from the moment you prepare the urn at home to the moment it enters the water or earth. For a step-by-step walkthrough of how to prepare the urn, our use guide covers every detail.
The Dried Flower Confetti
Each kit includes a packet of dried flower confetti: real petals and small blooms in muted, natural colors. These are meant to be scattered during the ceremony.
On water, families scatter them around the urn as it floats, creating a ring of color that lingers on the surface after the urn has disappeared. It's one of the most photographed moments of the ceremony, and many families say it's the detail that made the goodbye feel complete.
On earth, the petals can be scattered over the burial site or mixed into the soil above the urn. Some families let children do the scattering, giving them a meaningful role in the farewell. If you're including a child, I wrote a full guide on helping a child say goodbye that covers how to give them a gentle, active part in the ceremony.
If you'd like extra petals for a larger gathering or a more abundant scattering, you can add our dried rose petals to your order separately.
The Ceremony Guide
Inside the box is a printed ceremony guide. It walks you through everything: how to fill the urn, how to seal it, where to hold the ceremony, what to expect when the urn touches water, and gentle suggestions for what to say or read during the farewell.
This guide exists because I know that most families have never done this before. The idea of planning a ceremony from scratch, without a funeral director or an officiant, can feel overwhelming. The guide removes that pressure. It doesn't tell you how to grieve. It tells you how to hold a ceremony so you can focus on the grieving.
If you want to go deeper into ceremony planning, our blog has several resources: what a ceremony actually looks like from start to finish, gentle words to say during a farewell, and a checklist of what to bring to a shore or boat ceremony.
The Curated Music Playlist
This is the detail that catches families off guard, in the best way. Inside the box is a card with a QR code. Scan it and it opens a curated playlist designed for the ceremony: soft, instrumental, contemplative music selected to hold the emotional weight of the moment without overwhelming it.
You can play it from your phone at the ceremony. Some families set it playing before anyone speaks and let it run through the entire farewell. Others play a single song at the moment of release. Others don't use it at all and prefer silence. The playlist is there if you want it, and it stays out of the way if you don't.
Many families have told me that having the music already chosen was one of the things they appreciated most. Because choosing a song for a ceremony, when you're deep in grief, can feel impossible. We made that choice for you, gently, so you don't have to.
The Certificate of Biodegradability
Also inside the box is a card with a QR code that links to our Certificate of Biodegradability. This document confirms that the urn and ashes bag are made from 100% biodegradable, non-toxic materials that meet environmental standards for water and earth placement.
This certificate is not just paperwork. It's required by most cruise lines that allow ash scattering at sea. If you're planning a cruise farewell, you can download the certificate in advance and share it with your cruise line's Guest Services before you board. Our cruise-approved urns page explains the process in detail.
For non-cruise ceremonies, the certificate provides peace of mind. You'll know, with documentation, that everything you're placing in the water or earth is safe, natural, and designed to leave nothing behind.
The Cotton Cord
Each urn includes a natural jute or cotton cord used to seal the urn after the ashes bag is placed inside. Tying the cord is a small physical act, but many families describe it as one of the most meaningful moments of the preparation. It's the moment the urn is sealed. The moment everything is ready. The moment the goodbye becomes real.
Some families tie it together, each person holding one end of the cord. Others let one person do it quietly, alone, the night before the ceremony. However you approach it, the cord is there to close the urn with intention, not with clips or latches, but with your own hands.
What's Not in the Box (and Why)
There are a few things you won't find in the kit, and that's deliberate.
No plastic. Not in the bag, not in the packaging, not anywhere. Every material in the box is biodegradable or recyclable. If it can't return to the earth, it doesn't belong here.
No generic sympathy card. I didn't want the box to feel like a transaction. What's inside is personal, handcrafted, and chosen with care. The ceremony guide speaks directly to you. That felt more honest than a card with a stock message.
No instructions for "after." The kit is designed for the ceremony itself. What comes after, the grief, the adjustment, the slow return to daily life, is something I write about separately. If you're wondering what the days after feel like, the weeks after scattering ashes is the most honest thing I've written about that particular stretch.
Why a Kit Instead of Just an Urn
Most biodegradable urns on the market are sold as standalone containers. You buy the urn, and then you're on your own. You need to find a biodegradable bag separately. You need to figure out what to bring to the ceremony. You need to source something to scatter. You need to choose music, write words, and plan the entire farewell from scratch while carrying the weight of a loss that makes it hard to think clearly.
I didn't want that for our families. A ceremony is not a product. It's a moment. And the moment deserves to be supported, not assembled from pieces you had to hunt down during the hardest week of your life.
That's why every Pachamama urn is a complete ceremony kit. Open the box, and you're ready. Not just logistically, but emotionally. Everything inside was designed to hold you through the farewell, from the first quiet moment of preparation to the last petal scattered on the water.
What Families Say About the Kit
The detail families mention most often is not any single item. It's the feeling of opening the box. They expected a container. They received a ceremony. That shift, from product to experience, is what makes people write reviews that say things like, "This was beautifully packed and includes everything you need," and "I didn't have to think about anything else."
That's the goal. Not to sell you an urn. To give you a goodbye.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ceremony Kit
Do I need to buy anything else for the ceremony? No. Every Pachamama kit includes everything you need: the urn, the biodegradable ashes bag, the handmade flower, dried flower confetti, a ceremony guide, a curated music playlist via QR code, and a Certificate of Biodegradability. The only optional addition is extra dried rose petals or ceremony message papers if you want them.
Does the urn arrive ready to use? Yes. No assembly is required. The urn arrives fully formed with the handmade flower on top. You simply transfer the ashes into the biodegradable bag, place the bag inside the urn, seal it with the cord, and you're ready for the ceremony.
Is the kit suitable for a cruise ceremony? Yes. Our kits are cruise-approved and include a Certificate of Biodegradability that most cruise lines require. You can download the certificate in advance and share it with Guest Services before boarding.
Can I use the kit for an earth burial instead of water? Yes. The same urn and all the same materials work for both water and earth ceremonies. For earth burials, you can place the urn in the ground and cover it with soil. The burial urns with wildflower seeds collection includes options designed specifically for planting.
What sizes are available? Large holds up to 6 lbs of ashes, suitable for most adults. Medium holds up to 3 lbs, right for partial remains or sharing among family. Small holds a portion, ideal for multi-location ceremonies, keepsake memorials, or pets.
Can I prepare the urn ahead of time? Yes. Many families prepare the urn at home the night before the ceremony and bring it sealed to the location. The urn will not begin to break down until it touches water or soil, so it is safe to prepare in advance. Just handle it gently during transport.
Is the packaging discreet? Yes. The box arrives in plain packaging with no external labeling that identifies the contents. Everything inside is wrapped with care and designed to feel respectful the moment you open it.
What if I need help choosing the right kit? Email us at hello@pachamamatributes.com. Tell us what you're planning, including the type of ceremony, the approximate weight of the ashes, and whether you want to keep a portion at home. We will help you choose the right kit quickly and warmly.
With warmth,
Virginia