Nike has launched a lightweight and breathable hijab for Muslim athletes to wear while competing. The product was launched last week with the tag “sports is for everyone.”
The company got American Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari and German boxer Zeina Nassar to appear in its advertisements.
Rave Reviews:
The product has got rave reviews. It really sunk in how much my previous hijab was hindering my performance when I tried the Nike Pro Hijab,” Muhammad told Nike in a recent press release. “Suddenly, I could hear, I wasn’t as hot and it felt like my body was able to cool itself down better and faster.”
“The Nike Pro Hijab will help advance the conversation around hijabs and Muslim women in sports and further make sports an inclusive space,” she said.
“It’s a reminder to us Muslim women that we can achieve anything in the world,” Lari told Nike of the company’s hijab. “What Nike has done for Muslim athletes is a dream that we never thought would happen.”
The Product:
She was one of the athletes who was asked to test the hijab prototypes for months while competing. The hijab is available in different sizes and for now, is being sold in black and navy colours. It will be sold in more colours come January. It has an elongated back so as not to come untucked. Also, it features fluff threads around the neck to preserve athletes' skin from rubbing and irritation due to sweat.
The product costs $35 and is a game changer for athletes. It developed the product after it heard that Muslim athletes had issues wearing the traditional hijab while competing.
They spoke about how they had trouble hearing the referee while wearing a traditional hijab and how they found it difficult to keep the hijab in place.
Hopefully, this new product will put hijab wearing-women in the mainstream. Further, it should normalise what it looks like for Muslim women to compete.
Pic Credit: Huffington Post
Also Read: Olympic Athlete Inspires First Hijab Wearing Barbie
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