Although armed forces veterans are not the only ones that might benefit from one of UNYQ’s personalized 3D printed fairings for prosthetic legs the undeniable truth is there are many soldiers who have suffered the loss of a limb on the battlefield and it is to them that the new UNYQ CAM collection and giveaway has been dedicated.
The concept behind UNYQ, a Spanish-American company that we covered previously, is that part of the discomfort from wearing a prosthesis is related to its appearance and people’s reaction to it. UNYQ seeks to minimize this effect by creating elegant and stylish fairings to cover leg prostheses. The fairings are customized and 3D printed to match the shape of the intact leg, fitting both above knee and below knee prosthetic limbs. They are then finished with hydro-paints, with 30 different designs, and can even be fully custom made (at a considerably higher price).
The new CAM Collection is targeted at army veterans and was announced on Veterans Day (last November 11th) together with a giveaway contest that saw Jim Wirth, the angel investors financing the UNYQ project, give away at least one of the fairings to a veteran.
The CAM fairings are available in three camouflage patterns: Snow, Forest and Digital Woodland. Along with the other models they fit within UNYQ’s goal to give amputees affordable (they start at $595) and fashionable options for accessorizing their prosthetic leg. “Losing a limb can have a devastating impact on your sense of self esteem,” explains Katherine Crawford, former Army servicewoman, amputee and advocate for amputee girls. “UNYQ gives us the freedom to create our own fashion statements and express who we are with confidence.”
“Our CAM collection celebrates our military service men and women, especially those who have lost a piece of themselves in the line of duty,” says Eythor Bender, CEO of UNYQ. “We are thrilled to add these new options to our growing product line and continue making it easier for amputees to express their own styles.”
UNYQ’s “unique” approach and business model seems to be working. The company has been establishing partnerships with professional studios – or Hubs – all over the world. It is easy to understand why and Alex Minsky, a professional model and former U.S Marine and Purple Heart recipient who lost his leg while on duty in Afghanistan, said it best: “I certainly would give anything to have my leg back, but since that isn’t a possibility, I am excited to make my prosthetic leg my own with a UNYQ cover.”
