San Francisco: The best city to make things

The business of death can be a tricky subject, but it's something Kinkaraco doesn't shy away from.

The company offers large canvas sheets, called shrouds, that encase the body after death and can be used for a traditional coffin burial or on their own.

The shrouds are biodegradable and start at $300 for a very basic version. They go up to $1,500 for a model made from handwoven Scottish wool tartan, embroidered with silk and lined with herbs. With the average American funeral costing between $7,000 - $10,000, more affordable options are in demand.

Kinkaraco was founded in 2004 by Esmeralda Kent, a costume designer in the film industry. She said the idea of an alternative funeral service has been gaining popularity in the last decade. She supplies shrouds for people all over the country and all her products are manufactured in San Francisco.

Kent said the city has a kind of Wild West spirit that makes it possible for many different ideas to take hold.

"You can be a weirdo in San Francisco," she said. "It's always open to innovation. You can come and you can transform yourself and you can transform the city."