Return Home - Green Funeral Home

Return Home is not just your ordinary funeral home. We are a transformative movement committed to embracing love, kindness, and inclusivity in all that we do, for every family under our care. Our mission at Return Home is to revolutionize the deathcare experience worldwide by adopting transparent, ethical, and sustainable practices that enable us to leave a lasting impact on our Earth.

To truly grasp the essence of who we are, we invite you to witness it firsthand. Visit our Auburn, WA Terramation Center for an in-person tour. No inquiry is too bold or too delicate – we are eager to answer all your questions.

Transparency is at the core of our operations. We believe in empowering you with knowledge about our process, should you wish to delve deeper. We are always available to provide comprehensive explanations and address any concerns you may have.

Our commitment to personal care extends to your loved one's vessel. Unlike others, we present the opportunity for in-person laying in ceremonies on-site, allowing you to observe your cherished one in the same vessel that carries them through the Terramation process – no imitations.

At Return Home, we recognize that grief takes its own course. That's why we welcome you to visit your loved one's vessel whenever you feel the need, during our business hours. Our intention is to provide a space where you can mourn at your own pace.

Moreover, we encourage you and your family to customize your loved one's vessel throughout the Terramation process. Feel free to adorn it with precious family photographs, fragrant flowers, or sentimental tokens – the possibilities are endless.

We offer you the choice to receive a portion of your loved one's transformed soil once the Terramation process concludes. Alternatively, you may opt to donate any remaining soil to Return Home's Woodland, a local plot that requires revitalization.

Our Terramation process is characterized by unparalleled gentleness. Within our vessels, you will not find any machinery aggressively breaking down the body, nor do our vessels actively rotate. When you step into our facility, serenity and tranquility embrace you.

As a comprehensive green funeral home, Return Home caters to immediate need as well as pre-need (pre-planning) human composting services. Whether you prefer an in-person or online laying-in service, we ensure that friends and family can participate fully in bidding farewell to their loved ones. We serve families across 49 U.S. states and all of Canada.

In times of urgent need, please reach out to us at (206) 888-HOME. Our dedicated team is available round the clock, ready to assist you.

Plan ahead with our Terramation pre-planning program. Click the button below to gain insights into how pre-planning operates.

Above all, Return Home stands proud as the originator and operator of the world's first large-scale Terramation (NOR or Human Composting) center. With 74 meticulously designed vessels, our unique process consumes significantly less energy compared to burial or cremation, marries sustainability with intimacy, and caters to the distinct preferences of each family. During the initial 30-60 days, we urge you to visit your loved one's vessel.

Our Terramation process – also known as human composting, natural organic reduction, or body composting – carefully converts the human body into nutrient-rich soil, employing alfalfa, straw, sawdust, and time. Delve into the intricacies of our process below.

Moreover, our laying-in service allows families to bid a personal farewell to their loved ones, either in person or virtually, while adorning them with cherished mementos that honor their memory.

Inside the vessel, oxygen continuously flows, stimulating the microbes present in the body. In just 30 days, these remarkable microbes facilitate the rapid transformation of the body into soil.

The resulting soil undergoes thorough screening to eliminate any inorganic elements and is then placed into a resting cube for an additional 30-day period, allowing it to cool.

Finally, you are left with beautiful, life-giving soil – soil that can either Return Home or be scattered in our dedicated 8-acre Woodland. This magnificent space breathes new life into local flora, nurturing the cycle of life to perpetuity.

What sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to you and your loved ones. We are here to commemorate their life by offering an extraordinary and sustainable Terramation service that truly makes a difference in the world.