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Planning a funeral involves many decisions at a time when it's hard to think clearly. If your loved one or your family chose cremation, then you may be looking for a cremation urn. The choices can be overwhelming, as you selected the best urn, however this urn buyer's guide will help you make the best choice.

With just a few questions and considerations, you can find the perfect urn that you will treasure for years to come and honour your loved one in the process. We've put together a few questions to guide you through the purchasing experience.

How will you use the urn?

• Would you like to put the urn in a memorial garden or a special place in your home?
• Will family members want to share the ashes?
• Will you need to travel with the urn?
• Would you like to scatter the ashes in a special place or release them into the ocean, lake or river?

Outdoor urn placement

If you would like to keep the urn outside or in a mausoleum, then choose a material that will protect the cremated remains in all kinds of weather. For outdoor use consider these urns:

• Ceramic urns
• Glass urns
• Metal urns 
• Granite urns

Indoor urn placement 

If the urn will be placed inside, then you will have more options available to you. For indoor urn display or storage use, you can opt for materials such as these urn types:

• Ceramic or glass urns
• Wood urns
• Paper urns
• Bamboo urns

Keepsake urns

Keepsake urns are smaller and will allow the ashes to be shared so that several family members can keep a physical connection with your loved one. These urns are smaller in size and ar design to contain ashes that have been divided.

Travelling with an urn

If you are travelling with the urn, then airport security regulations will limit your choice of material, so it's a good idea to check with the airport before you make a selection.

Biodegradeable urns

Our biodegradable urns come in themed and classic styles that allow ashes to be scattered or set adrift into the sea with no damage to the environment.

Where can I buy an urn?

Urns are available from many places both in the funeral industry and online and even at some retailers. However, please don't feel obligated to purchase from a funeral home or crematorium. 

We offer urns online for direct shipment to your Canadian address. We ship from the Toronto area and shipping is free.

Choosing a funeral urn is profoundly personal and something you should take time to do. In our urn store on this site, we have a wide range of urns that suit all tastes and budgets, so you can find an urn that is precisely right for its purpose and you. We are also available to answer questions about our urns. You can click here to contact us.

Urn design considerations:

Here is some guidance on how to choose the right cremation urn for your loved one.

• Are you honouring an adult or a child or two people together? You might want the design to reflect the person or their personality (classic and traditional or ornate and full of character).
• Would you like to keep the ashes with those of another person? A companion urn will hold the ashes of two individuals, which come in various styles to reflect their relationship.
• If the urn is going to be displayed in your home, you can think about whether you want something small or large. Many of our urns look like beautiful works of art in ceramic or cloisonné, or there are exquisite tea light urns that are the perfect way to commemorate your loved one.

If you can narrow down how the urn will be used, choosing one will be a much simpler process. We've organized our urns into collections to make it simple for you to find the perfect urn to commemorate your loved one. 

And remember, Eirene is focused on making choosing an urn simple, affordable and convenient at such a difficult time for families. We're here to guide you every step of the way. 

Have a question about a cremation urn?

Ask our funeral professionals at Eirene a question about urns. We are available 24/7 via phone and email. Click here.