Bellacouche

Beautiful resting place

Bellacouche wool felt studio

At Bellacouche, textile artist and maker Yuli Sømme lovingly creates earth-friendly organic felt funeral products and craft kits from the region’s organic and holistically managed wool flocks.

About Yuli

The Leafcocoon is a re-imagining of the 17th Century Act of Parliament, the Burial in Wool Act, which decreed that the dead must be buried in wool. This was passed to encourage the use of wool that was so important for the economy at that time. Now, at Bellacouche and in the 21st Century, we believe that wool has a re-newed purpose in giving comfort at a time of death; no sharp edges, no plastics, just soft, tender wool, enfolding and shrouding the body, safely held on an integrated sturdy wooden frame with 6 strong handles. The Leafcocoon has been tested and industry accredited for safety, either for burial or cremation. After 21 years of shroud-making, Bellacouche is holding a steady place in the funeral industry, with something unique, different, eco-friendly and gentle.

Our Philosophy

“If you have to make a thing, you must know the background of it, the skeleton, the foundations, the actual stuff that the materials have grown out of, their connections with their natural background, their biotechnics – and then building can begin. And then the reason for making, the purpose, the human connection. All sides must be considered and known. You cannot just make.”

— Ethel Mairet

British wool felt products for natural burial

Your loved one is wrapped in the gentle folds of a thick wool felt cocoon or shroud.

We make a unique range of ecologically biodegradable coffin alternatives for natural burial or cremation. Our work focuses on practical aesthetics, natural burial, or minimising the environmental impact of cremation.

Eco Coffin Alternatives

Wool felt craft kits

Thoughtfully designed, plastic-free felt crafting kits for beginners and hobby makers. Five uniquely themed topics, connecting us with each other and Nature. Wall hangings, Heirloom pieces, origami felt sculpture, Feet Felt and felt postcards. If you love to create and explore the extraordinary qualities of home grown wool, then you have landed in the right place.

Postcard needle felting kit with full instructions

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“The kindest service at the hardest time of my life. ”

I found it comforting to have something unique for my husband.”
D.Sussex, Dec 2020
“The Leafcocoon is the most beautiful and tactile coffin

is the most beautiful and tactile coffin available. Easy to use and functional too, you feel like you are really taking care of the person who has died, cocooning them up in such loveliness.
Heart & Soul Funerals
“Why would anyone want anything else when you can have one of these?

The knowledge that my brother was snuggly wrapped in his cocoon plus its beauty meant a comforting memory for me.”
C. Courtney, Aug. 2018
“It was beautiful

– the funeral directors found it simple to use. Lovely product and service…. I actually love to think of her snuggled into her Leafcocoon – it’s a comfort”
Nikki Dayton February 2021
The Leafcocoon was so lovingly made

and helped us make David's last journey a beautiful farewell. The cocoon was also so practical. We sewed some personal decorations onto the leaf cover. Yuli was so helpful and responsive and the cocoon arrived as promised despite the short timescale we had given Yuli. I have and will continue to tell others about Bellacouche. Thank you Yuli.
L. Rabjohns
"We were delighted with the shroud

it was beautiful- so much nicer than any sort of coffin, but also much better than just a sheet which looks a bit brutal." H. Smith 2023
Dad had a lovely send off thank you so much for your help

The shroud arrived within a couple of days of ordering.
It was perfect - we wrapped dad ourselves and decorated it using our own flowers so it made the whole service very personal and intimate. The shroud was lightweight and easy to carry into church and we then used our old work trolley to take it to the cemetery which dad would have loved.
The shroud was easy to carry and we loved the little details like the wooden toggles. It felt just right and as dad was always unconventional it felt just right for him.”
Hannah & Fegus Wessel - 2023
"Completely satisfied!"

J. Pryce-Davies. 2023
"With grateful thanks

for your deeply meaningful and beautiful creations, which brought us all so much comfort at such a difficult time”
S. Voss 2024
"Completely satisfied"

“After this first experience we would be very confident to use this product again and would most definately recommend you.
Jones Brothers, Benllech Funeral Directors.
Beautifully made and sturdy, the Leafcocoon was ideal for the natural burial the family had requested.

Ernest Heal & Sons Funeral Directors
2025

Caring for the Planet and Animal Welfare

Carefully sourced sustainable and regenerative natural materials chosen as ethically and locally as we can. Working in harmony with nature and protecting Planet Earth.
The fine crossbreed wool comes direct from Fernhill Farm in Somerset, as well as other organically certified British sources.

Sustainability

I am very pleased to receive a Platinum Award from the Greener Globe Funeral Standard, 2024, as a trusted supplier.

This involves a lengthy audit that has taken many weeks and adheres to ISO 14001, the internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems.