Recompose revolutionizes death care through human composting—the natural transformation of human bodies into nutrient-rich soil that can nourish new life and restore damaged ecosystems. The process involves placing bodies in specially designed stainless steel vessels surrounded by carefully calibrated mixtures of wood chips, alfalfa, and straw, where naturally occurring microbes break down the body over five to seven weeks, followed by an additional three to five weeks of curing to create approximately one cubic yard of soil. Recompose staff monitor the process closely, controlling ratios of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and moisture to create optimal conditions for beneficial bacteria while rotating vessels to ensure thorough aeration, with bones reduced to fine powder and added back to balance nutrients after screening for non-organic materials like implants. The company partners with nonprofit conservation organizations through their Land Program, allowing clients to donate resulting soil to restoration projects across diverse protected landscapes including forests, prairie grasslands, and wetlands that support wildlife habitat and biodiversity recovery. This environmentally regenerative approach to death care offers an alternative to traditional burial and cremation while contributing directly to ecological healing and conservation efforts.
Why this matters: Recompose demonstrates how death can become an act of regeneration rather than environmental burden, transforming the end of life into the beginning of new growth while offering people the opportunity to contribute directly to ecosystem restoration and healing even after death.
