Muslim women athletes will soon be able to choose from Nike’s range of athletic-wear hijabs. The sportswear brand announced that it will be releasing a specially created hijab that will be functional and still meet the cultural requirements of Muslim female athletes. The pull-on headscarf is made of a single layer of lightweight polyester mesh to facilitate breathability of the fabric, yet remain opaque.
The scarf will be available in black and other neutral colours. Nike has been working on this since the past year in collaboration with some Muslim athletes, including UAE figure skater Zahra Lari. “I’ve tried so many different hijabs for performance, and… so few of them actually work for me. But once I put it on and took it for a spin on the ice, I was blown away by the fit and the lightness,” said Lari, in a statement to CNN.
While there have been some companies that have catered to Muslim women athletes’ active-wear needs, this is the first time a major American brand has launched a sports hijab. The Nike Pro Hijab is going to be available in the brand’s Spring 2018 collection.
