Memorial Products and Keepsakes Selector

Costs span a wide range. Basic metal and biodegradable urns run about $50-$200, decorative wooden, ceramic, or art urns $100-$500, and cremation jewelry roughly $50-$500. Outdoor memorials range from $50 garden stones to $3,000 benches. Unique keepsakes are the priciest: ash-infused glass art around $100-$600, vinyl records from ashes $300-$600, reef ball memorials $3,000-$7,000, and memorial diamonds $3,000-$20,000+. These are typical market ranges that vary by provider and region.

Start with the intended use: home display, cemetery burial or niche, scattering, or dividing ashes among several family members. A standard adult urn holds about 200 cubic inches (roughly one cubic inch per pound of healthy body weight). For burial or a columbarium niche, confirm the cemetery's size and material rules first. For scattering, a biodegradable urn is ideal. Keepsake urn sets ($100-$300) let multiple relatives each keep a small portion.

Cremation jewelry (also called memorial jewelry) has a small sealed compartment that holds a tiny portion of cremated remains, a lock of hair, or dried flowers. Styles range from simple stainless-steel pendants ($50-$300) to memorial rings ($100-$500), thumbprint jewelry, and ash-infused glass. You typically fill the piece yourself or send a small sample to the maker; only a pinch of ashes is needed, so the rest of the remains stay with the family.

Yes. Specialized labs extract carbon from cremated remains and grow a real laboratory-created diamond under high pressure and high temperature. Memorial diamonds typically cost $3,000-$20,000+ depending on carat size and color, and the process usually takes several months. Because only a few ounces of ashes are needed, families can still keep or scatter the remaining remains.

Living memorials turn loss into new growth. Common options include memorial tree plantings ($50-$300) where ashes are mixed with soil, biodegradable urns with embedded seeds, and reef ball memorials ($3,000-$7,000) that place cremated remains into permanent ocean-habitat structures. Scattering and water placement are regulated: the EPA requires burial or scattering at sea to occur at least 3 nautical miles from shore, and scattering in national parks varies by park.

Cremation is not required to create a lasting tribute. For traditional burial, options include a headstone or monument, a memorial plaque, a dedicated garden bench or stone, thumbprint or fingerprint jewelry taken before burial, photo books and canvases, video tributes, an online memorial website, or a tree planted in their memory. Select "No - Traditional burial" in the tool to hide urn and ash-based products.

The FTC Funeral Rule gives you the right to buy only the goods and services you want and to receive itemized prices, including for caskets and urns, from funeral providers. You are not required to buy an urn or other merchandise from the funeral home, and a provider cannot refuse to handle an urn or container you bought elsewhere. Comparing online and third-party sellers often costs less than buying the same item from a funeral home.