Regular customers will have noticed that cavalry figures, artillery and some of the other larger kits have been packed in printed cardboard boxes.

Over the course of this year you’ll see that design reflected in the smaller figure boxes, and I thought this a good time to explain why.

When I started Tommy’s War in 2011 I was able to use printed boxes with an image of each figure on the front. This worked at first, while the range was small, but was soon unsustainable, and in 2015 I moved to a generic box with a window on the front.

I’ve been unhappy with those for a couple of years now, firstly they are plastic and not recyclable. Secondly, they came from China which meant air freight to get them to me and finally, each box is wrapped in a cellophane wrapper (as part of the printing process) which has to be removed and disposed of (once again not recyclable).

So, I’ve moved to a cardboard box, which can be recycled. I’m also looking at recycled or recyclable grip seal bags to hold the figures – of course I can’t do anything about the resin for the figure!

To accompany this new packaging I’ll be producing printed newsletters which will be available for all customers and aim to offer even more images of the painted figure, painting hints and tips and historical background. A new A4 2021 catalogue will be available later in the year (Autumn 2021) with new photography for a lot of the range, giving you larger images of the painted figures so you can really see their colours close-up.

You may also have noticed that the outer boxes have changed recently, I’m using undyed brown boxes with shredded paper as filler (rather than poly chips) and the tape is paper based. This means you can either re-use that packaging (which I highly recommend) or it can all be recycled.

All of this is designed to give you, the modeller, great ways of buying the range and improving your modelling in a way that protects the environment so that we leave it behind in the best possible way for our children and their children.