I Invented the Planturn™. Here's What You Should Know Before You Buy.
A few years ago, I designed a cremation urn that could also hold a living plant. The idea was simple: instead of an urn that gets tucked away in a closet, what if it could sit openly in your home — something alive and growing alongside something deeply meaningful?
I called it the Planturn™.
Since then, I've watched the concept spread. Other companies have started selling similar products — some calling them "plant urns," others borrowing the Planturn name directly. I want to be straightforward about that, and I also want to help you make an informed decision if you're considering one.
What Is a Planturn™?
The Planturn™ is a two-part cremation urn I designed and hand-built in my woodshop in Lake Arrowhead, California. The lower section holds cremated remains — up to 200 cubic inches for an adult, less for smaller sizes — and the upper section holds a living plant of your choice.
The result is a memorial object that lives openly in your home. Not something hidden. Not something that feels heavy or ceremonial. Something beautiful, alive, and present.
The design came out of a real conversation with someone who wanted to honor a loved one without the urn feeling like a burden in their home. That need felt universal to me, and the Planturn™ was my answer to it.
Why There Are Knockoffs
When a product concept works, others notice. That's the nature of any market.
What I've seen since creating the Planturn™ is a range of imitations — some mass-produced overseas from MDF or engineered wood, some made from materials that aren't disclosed, some simply borrowing the name I created for a product that doesn't share much with the original beyond the basic idea.
I'm not going to name names. But I do think you deserve to know what you're actually buying when you purchase a Planturn™-style product.
What Makes the Original Different
It's made from real wood.
Every Planturn™ from Boyce Studio is handcrafted from solid hardwood — Walnut, Sycamore, Elm, Maple, and other species sourced sustainably from California mills. No MDF. No veneers. No particleboard. Real wood has a warmth, a weight, and a grain that engineered materials simply can't replicate. It also ages beautifully over decades rather than warping or chipping.
It's made by hand, one at a time.
I make every piece myself in my woodshop. That means each Planturn™ is shaped, sanded, and finished by a single person who understands what it's for and why it matters. There's no factory floor, no assembly line, no batch production.
No two are identical.
Because I use real wood and make each piece individually, every Planturn™ has its own grain pattern, its own subtle color variation, its own character. The piece you receive is genuinely one of a kind. A mass-produced urn is designed to be identical to every other unit — that's the point of mass production.
It's designed to last.
I finish each piece with a low-VOC matte wax or oil finish — not a synthetic lacquer. This protects the wood while letting it breathe and age naturally. A Planturn™ is designed to be an heirloom, not a product with a shelf life.
It's made with intention.
I'm a second-generation woodworker. I grew up learning that the things we make with our hands should be worth keeping. Every piece I make carries that belief. When you buy a Planturn™ from Boyce Studio, you're not buying a product that was designed to a price point. You're buying something that was designed to matter.
Ready to Ship — and Impossible to Copy.
Some of my Planturns™ are available ready to ship, made from highly figured and unusual woods — spalted Sycamore, California Sweetgum, Live Oak, and others — that I source locally and in limited quantities. These are woods with extraordinary grain patterns, colors, and character that simply don't exist in the mass-produced market. No factory can replicate them because no factory has access to them. If you're looking for something truly one of a kind, this is it.
How to Tell the Difference
If you're comparing options, here are a few questions worth asking:
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What is it actually made from? Look for "solid wood" specifically. "Wood" or "wooden" can mean MDF, veneer, or particleboard.
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Where is it made? Handmade in the USA means a person made it. "Handcrafted" can be a looser term — ask what it means.
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Who made it? Is there a person behind the product, or is it a brand with no maker?
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What's the finish? Synthetic lacquers are fine for furniture, but if you're considering burial, a natural finish matters.
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Does it feel like something you'd want in your home for decades? That's ultimately the test.
A Note on the Name
I coined the word "Planturn™" in 2019. It's my trademark, and I use it to describe a specific product I designed and continue to make by hand. If you see the word used elsewhere, it's worth knowing that the original — and the only handmade, solid wood version made in California — comes from Boyce Studio.
If You're Considering a Planturn™
I make Planturns™ in several sizes — for adults, for pets, and for shared remains. Each one is made to order, with a lead time of about two weeks. If you have questions about sizing, wood species, or whether a Planturn™ is the right choice for your situation, I'm happy to talk through it with you.
Browse the Planturn™ collection or reach out directly — there's no pressure, just a conversation.
Boyce Studio is a California-based studio creating modern handcrafted cremation urns and the original Planturn™, made from sustainably sourced wood by second-generation woodworker C.C. Boyce in Lake Arrowhead, CA.
