Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes the Lidmen?
I do. The ‘I’ being me, Cheryl. I’m a mother (of one very lively 2 and a half year old daughter – right), a graphic designer, illustrator and sometime actress. I have a webdesigning husband and 2 goldfish. I am interested in the environment, so I thought finding a use for plastic lids, that can be hard to recycle in some regions, would at least make a small contribution. I recycle, compost, switch off lights, hang my washing on the line (unless it’s raining) and try not to waste water (I haven’t watered my sorry little garden for over 2 years). Basically just trying to minimise my apparently huge “Mosman Environmental footprint”.
Where did you get the idea from?
Shortly after the birth of my daughter I spent some time at Tresillian in Wollstonecraft and they had some very simple lid men hanging from a frame to entertain the babies. My daughter loved them so I decided to make her a few for home (original Lidman pictured right). When Mother’s Group friends and other people came around and saw them they asked if they could have one and over the last 2 years more and more people have asked me to make a Lidman for their child and so I have decided to make them available to everyone.
Why do you make Lidmen?
I make the Lidmen because I enjoy doing crafty things. I realised I could make toys for children that helped use hard to recycle plastic lids – starting from October ‘07 my council is finally able to recycle plastics 1 through 6 but many lids don’t have a number on them so they end up in landfill.
I must admit to being a little bit sick of all the talking, flashing, “genius” toys and the sight of my daughter playing with a toy that I made for her gives me great pleasure! She has to use her imagination to make it come alive not a battery.
Are the Lidmen all unique?
Yep, I hand-make and design every one and then name them according to the ‘vibe’ they give off. Some may look a little similar but no two Lidmen will ever be the same and no two Lidmen will ever have the same name.
Why do babies and kids like them?
I believe it’s because they’re colourful, they rattle, you can throw them around, give them a good shake and they don’t break! Lidmen are a kind of modern twist on a good old fashioned style toy.
Are the Lidmen safe for my baby/child?
All Lidmen are based on the Australian Standards guidelines for children’s toys and are marked with an age suitability, which has nothing to do with the intelligence of your child but is a guide to the suggested skill level and a safety precaution to help prevent choking.
Those Lidmen that incorporate small lids (as defined by the Australian Standard), I have marked as suitable only for children 3 years and older (For ages 3+). Those Lidman with larger lids have been marked as safe for children under 3 years (For ages 0+). I have found that after a while the knots holding the lids together can come undone so this is why I can’t sell all Lidmen for all ages. If knots on your Lidmen do undo, simply re-tie it or replace with a new ribbon. I have never had a lid break into pieces and they are very hard to chew through.
As with all toys, commonsense and adult supervision is the best way for a child to stay safe and learn.
The lids are secured and connected with a nylon ribbon that is manufactured as a craft item for kids. It’s strong and easy to work with. No free piece of ribbon is longer than 22cm in length which adds to the safety of the Lidmen, complying with the Australian Standard to prevent strangulation.
Also, I’m not too sure about the whole peanut allergy problem but I would just like to let people know that some of the lids are from peanut butter jars – not many but they are included. Like I said earlier I do clean the lids before use, but I can’t be sure which lids came from peanut butter jars or guarantee that there are no minute traces on the lids so if peanut allergy is a problem perhaps don’t get a Lidman. Same goes for other allergies, there’s lots of lids from soy milk, soy sauce and dairy products.
How do I use the Lidman?
When my daughter was a baby I tied her Lidman to the arch of her floor play mat so the Lidman got a good swinging during floor play time and he helped me get her attention during tummy time which aided in strengthening her neck and helped her rolling. This was just my observations of my daughter and not a proven scientific experiment!
As she grows older she likes to drag him around by the string and use him as a puppet. I have also made a few mobiles for people by hanging several Lidmen together then suspending it from the ceiling.
If you come up with some good ideas, email me.
Why are they called Lidmen when there’s girl names and animals too?
Well, I didn’t think names like Lidthings, Lidobjects, Lidpersons or Lidpeople rolled off the tongue like Lidmen!
Where do you get your lids from?
Family, friends, neighbours and work mates all chip in. Once you start collecting lids it becomes quite addictive.
What sort of lids do you use?
Lots of different sorts, but they tend to be from drink bottles, food containers and makeup/cream containers, shaving cream, deodorants and some low toxic cleaning products. I do not use any lids from toxic chemical containers or prescription medicines. I also do not use any metal lids.
Are the lids clean?
Yes, I give them a soapy soak and rinse, then soak them in a bleach solution before I use any of the lids.
If your Lidman gets dirty you can hand clean him in a little soapy water, then just hang him out on the line to dry or give him a quick rub down with a towel. I can’t guarantee what will happen to your Lidman if you put him in the dishwasher!
What if my Lidman breaks?
No lids have ever broken but if the knots come undone… get some new string or ribbon and have fun putting him back together yourself! In most cases it’s a simple task of just retying the knot or getting a new piece of ribbon and re-lacing the lids – you could even add more lids or give him a new look! But please remember to dispose of your Lidman thoughtfully if you choose to have him – ahem – recycled!
What about postage and packaging?
For orders within Australia we use Express Parcel Post and Standard Parcel Post options. I also have a Special Delivery Offer for those customers wanting delivery to Neutral Bay, Cremorne and Mosman. All Lidmen are packed in a cardboard box. See the Postage & Packaging page for more information.
All Lidmen are one-offs and ready to ship immediately. From the time I get your order and payment it should take no more than 3 – 10 working days to receive your Lidman depending on the shipping option you choose.
What is your returns policy?
If your Lidman is unsuitable or arrives damaged please contact me via email, my contact email is shop@lidmen.com and let me know whether you’d like to return or exchange your Lidman and the reason. You have 14 days from date of purchase to notify me of your intent to return or exchange your Lidman. A return address is on the package. Please pack the Lidman in the box I posted it to you in – if possible – or a similar box and send it Express Post. A full refund including the original postage and packaging charges will be credited to you.
Can I send you lids?
Thank you for the offer, if you have some lids you’d like to get rid of I am at the Kirribilli Art and Craft Market (in the Burton St tunnel, in Sydney)which is held on the second Sunday of every month from 9am – 3pm… just look around – you’ll find my stall.
Is the website secure?
Yes, I am using Paypal and Shopify, both trusted companies in the e-commerce market.
No customer information will be forwarded onto to any 3rd party under any circumstances. I hate websites that do that to me so I won’t do it to any of my customers!
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