Return to Sender Caskets

Directions Website

Return to Sender Caskets Our designs are environmentally considered at every stage. This includes materials, fixings, handles, and finishes.

Thoughtfully designed and made in Aotearoa New Zealand 🌿 Contemporary and traditional caskets and urns, crafted with integrity, for families who want a beautiful farewell that doesn't cost the earth. Return to Sender offers a wide range of hand-finished caskets made from untreated and sustainable wood, including options crafted from beautiful native timbers of Aotearoa New Zealand. If there is a better way to do things, chances are we are already doing it. Built to meet the highest performance standards, our caskets are crafted with care using innovative construction techniques. Our diverse collection of traditional and contemporary designs caters for a wide range of budgets and are available through Funeral Directors throughout the North Island. As a lasting symbol of life and renewal, we donate one native tree for every casket bearing the Trees for Survival logo.

Look closely at the saxophone!The keys aren’t decoration. They’re the hooks. A Royal Oak Intermediate student looked at ...
20/10/2026

Look closely at the saxophone!

The keys aren’t decoration. They’re the hooks. A Royal Oak Intermediate student looked at a plywood offcut and saw a mirror, a saxophone and a place to hang your keys, all at once.

It’s one of 25 pieces made from our untreated plywood offcuts. Every term, these students surprise us. Over the next five weeks we’ll showcase every piece, five at a time, so you can see each one in detail.

Part 1 of 5: take a moment, swipe through and enjoy their imagination.

If you know of a school or community group that could use offcuts like these, get in touch. We’d love to help.

Huge thanks to Royal-Oak Intermediate School and their students for turning our offcuts into something special.

Some people build a company. Others carry it forward.Recently, Greg, the man who along with his wife Leanne, started RTS...
18/10/2026

Some people build a company. Others carry it forward.

Recently, Greg, the man who along with his wife Leanne, started RTS, popped in and sat down to sign copies of his new book, ‘Leave No Trace - Lifting the Lid of Death, Design and Doing Better’, the story of how RTS began.

Sitting beside Greg is Sue, our Factory Manager. Sue has been with RTS for over 12 years and carries on the values he started, of care, craftsmanship and pride in our work.

It was a special moment to see the person who set the standard alongside the person who helps uphold it every day. One started the story. The other is helping write the next chapter.

Thank you, Greg, for trusting us with your story, and thank you, Sue, for everything you do to keep it going.

If you'd like to read how it all started, go to holdsworthpress.com to get a copy.

15/10/2026

20,000+ trees donated and growing!

From the very beginning, we knew we wanted to give back. Today, we’re proud to share that we’ve donated over 20,000 trees to Trees for Survival.

To mark the milestone, our team celebrated with a cake, lovingly handmade by one of our own, Rachel Benns . It’s a tree trunk, complete with grass, tiny mushrooms and fungus! All the little details. We almost didn’t want to cut into it (almost 😂). Check it out!

This milestone is really a credit to the funeral directors who choose to offer our caskets and the families who trust us at such a personal time. Your support has helped us give back to the land and we’re so grateful to be part of your story.

Trees for Survival does incredible work, helping young people and school communities grow and plant native trees, restoring landscapes, connecting to the environment and learning skills along the way. We’re proud to support them and we’re not stopping here.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

13/10/2026

Casket handle styles, explained.

Our caskets come with different handle styles. Watch to learn how our rail handle and classic handle design differ in look, grip and the number of pallbearers each can accommodate.
Questions about our caskets? We're here to help.

12/10/2026

One casket. A flexible solution.

Meet the Pure and Simple, an economical natural untreated plywood casket designed to adapt to whatever a family needs.

In its simplest form it’s a thoughtful choice for a Direct Cremation.

Add solid pine handles, a nameplate and matching thumbscrews and it transforms into a practical casket ready for a full funeral service.

The Pure and Simple, made by Return to Sender in Aotearoa.

Minimal, functional and elegant. The Shroud Bearer. Wrapping the body in cloth rather than a casket is one of the oldest...
08/10/2026

Minimal, functional and elegant.

The Shroud Bearer.

Wrapping the body in cloth rather than a casket is one of the oldest burial customs and it remains a meaningful part of several religious and cultural traditions today.

For others, it's simply a reflection of how someone lived, valuing simplicity and wanting a farewell that feels the same way. The Shroud Bearer is designed for families choosing this kind of natural burial, whatever their reason.

The frame is shaped plywood, finished by hand, with handles positioned for the people carrying it. It can be paired with a NZ wool mattress and pillow, Shroud Wrap, Silk Ribbon and Bamboo Blanket, so a family can choose the fabric and adornments that feel right.

The making is ours. The rest is theirs to choose.

Made in Aotearoa by a NZ owned company, from our family to yours.

New skills, same standard. Olivia has been part of our team for over 3 years. Recently, Dave taught her how to make our ...
06/10/2026

New skills, same standard.

Olivia has been part of our team for over 3 years. Recently, Dave taught her how to make our Shroud Bearer, this is no small thing as Dave has very high expectations.

She shared that she enjoys making them because it's different from the caskets she usually makes and it's been a welcome change to learn something new to test her skills.

What stays the same is our standard of care. Like every casket that leaves our workshop, each Shroud Bearer is finished by hand and checked carefully before it reaches a family.

We make them with love, because it matters to us.

Made in Aotearoa by a NZ owned company, from our family to yours.

04/10/2026

Did you know we now have eleven Artisan Urn designs?

Our Artisan Urns move away from the traditional shape urn, made from untreated plywood with soft curves, considered lines and unique design.

Watch to see the full range. If you have any questions, or would like to discuss a personalised design, just reach out, we're always happy to help.

Return To Sender: NZ owned and made with care.

Let the urn tell their story.Beyond our existing range, we also offer fully personalised Artisan Urns.Using your own ima...
30/09/2026

Let the urn tell their story.

Beyond our existing range, we also offer fully personalised Artisan Urns.

Using your own images and words, we can create an Artisan Urn as individual as the life it honours. Photographs, artwork or a meaningful scene can be printed with natural ink directly onto the timber.

Here is a design featuring a personal photograph of sailing, a lasting tribute to time spent on the water.

For our full range of designs or to discuss a personalised Artisan Urn, reach out, we're happy to help.

Return To Sender: NZ owned and made with care.

A life in full bloom.Our Artisan Urns move away from the traditional, expected shape. Each one reflects a loved one's s...
29/09/2026

A life in full bloom.

Our Artisan Urns move away from the traditional, expected shape. Each one reflects a loved one's story.

Eden is one of three new designs now joining our range. It features rich botanicals, deep red roses, golden lilies and soft magnolias set against a lush, dark canvas. Vibrant yet serene, the Eden Urn offers a beautiful resting place for a life lived in full bloom.

This is just one of eleven designs. Other designs include Silver Fern, Nīkau, Piha, Rangitoto, Kererū, Rose, Ocean, Tulip or a personalised Artisan Urn. If you have any questions, just reach out, we are always happy to help.

Proudly made in Aotearoa by a NZ owned company, from our family to yours.

Address

11 Mountjoy Place, Onehunga
Auckland

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 4pm
Wednesday 7:30am - 4pm
Thursday 7:30am - 4pm
Friday 7:30am - 4pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Return to Sender Caskets posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category