Memorial Capsule

Pet Urn for Dainichido Inc.

This biodegradable pet urn is designed to provide a gentle and continuous farewell. Inspired by Japanese home memorial traditions and natural burials, it offers a sustainable way to honor life. The two-part structure with a threaded lid secures ashes for display or burial, while a small charm remains with the owner as a keepsake. Crafted from bioplastic with powdered oyster shells, the urn naturally returns to the earth. Its matte finish and soft contours invite touch, offering comfort and rituals during grief.

Download Press Kit № 175843

Download Press Kit № 175843 Pet Urn for Dainichido Inc. by Heredia Komiyama to access high-res images, essential texts, translations, and exclusive interviews—all in one.

Available Now for Your Next Story

At communication|newsroom, we understand the pressures and deadlines journalists face. That’s why we offer exclusive access to our curated press kits and high-resolution images, tailored for accredited journalists. These resources are designed to enrich your stories with depth and visual appeal, spotlighting the world's most innovative designs.

Please Note:

• Credit the work's creator and/or photographer.
• Mention communication|newsroom as your source.
• Share your published pieces with us; we love to celebrate and promote your work on our platform and social media.

Let’s Collaborate: Your stories matter. communication|newsroom is here to support you with quality, accessible content. Once you are accredited, reach out for the images and content you need. We will provide the specific images and content directly, along with recommendations on works to feature.

Get Accredited Easily: Quick access to our resources requires media accreditation. Apply for media accreditation to join our network and start exploring a wealth of design stories.

Memorial Capsule by Heredia Komiyama

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Pet Urn by Heredia Komiyama

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Heredia Komiyama Memorial Capsule

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Heredia Komiyama Pet Urn

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Dainichido Inc Brand Logo

Download 1800 Pixels JPEG Image.

Unique Properties

This product is a biodegradable urn supporting grieving pet owners through a gentle, continuous farewell. Inspired by Japanese home memorials and natural burials, it offers an intimate, sustainable way to honor life. A two-part structure with threaded lid keeps ashes secure while allowing burial with the urn; a small charm stays with the owner. Made from bioplastic with powdered oyster shells, it naturally biodegrades. Warm matte texture and soft contours invite touch, easing grief.

Tags

pet urn, pet memorial, biodegradable urn, grief care, eco-friendly design, sustainable product, natural burial, oyster shell bioplastic, home memorial, tactile design

Production Technology

This urn is made from ECOSHELL, a biodegradable material created by blending finely crushed oyster shells into a biomass-based resin. Its lid and base are joined with a precisely engineered screw thread, ensuring the contents remain secure even if the urn is tipped over, an advantage over conventional urns. A small charm, crafted from an alloy of silver, copper, and gold, remains with the owner as a keepsake. The urn itself has a warm matte texture and soft contours, inviting touch, fostering new rituals, and easing the pain of loss.

Design Challenge

The main challenge was designing an urn that fosters emotional healing while redefining traditional perceptions of memorialization. We overcame difficulties in translating intangible emotions into tangible design features, integrating Japanese home memorial traditions with natural burial practices. External limits included sourcing and molding a biodegradable yet durable material, and ensuring a secure screw-top structure without sacrificing warmth and tactility.

Project Duration

The project commenced in October 2022 in Hiroshima, Japan, where planning and development took place, and the design was completed in June 2023. Released in March 2025, it continues to be available.

Operation Flow

After cremation, the pet’s ashes are placed into the urn and taken home. It can be kept nearby for home memorialization, with the charm attached as a daily reminder. Owners can hold, stroke, or speak to it as they would in life, offering comfort and time for grieving. When ready, the ashes and urn can be buried to return to nature, while the charm is removed and kept close as a lasting keepsake.

Research

This qualitative design research identified a lack of meaningful mourning rituals for bereaved pet owners. Through literature review, cultural analysis, and interviews, we examined emotional changes, recovery processes, and posthumous communication with pets. Insights informed the form, structure, and materials, designing not only a physical urn but also a process that naturally supports emotional healing through use.

Inspiration

The design was inspired by the emotional gap many pet owners face after loss: the absence of meaningful mourning rituals. Drawing on Japanese customs of keeping ashes at home and the emerging practice of natural burials, it enables a continuous, personal farewell from collection to burial. Insights from grief care research and dialogues with bereaved owners shaped the structure, materials, and tactile qualities, offering a nature-connected and emotionally supportive alternative to traditional urns.

Image Credits

Image #1: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024. Image #2: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024. Image #3: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024. Image #4: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024. Image #5: Photographer Tatsuya Tabii, 2024.

Project Overview

Memorial Capsule Pet Urn has been a Bronze winner in the Idea and Conceptual Design award category in the year 2025 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

Bronze Recognition

Heredia Komiyama was recognized with the coveted Bronze A' Design Award in 2026, a testament to excellence of their work Memorial Capsule Pet Urn.

Heredia Komiyama Newsroom

Step into Heredia Komiyama Newsroom for a showcase of exemplary design and recognized projects.