Earlier this year Nike announced its launch of the Pro Hijab in the spring of 2018. Created for an underserved community in Muslim women athletes, the Nike Pro Hijab is available now due to an early limited released. Select retailers in North America, Europe, North Africa and the Middle East have begun carrying the pull-on Pro Hijab and will be available online at the Nike store in January.
For over a year the Nike design team has been meeting with top athletes who specified performance issues when wearing a hijab during competitions. United Arab Emirates weightlifter Amna Al Haddad expressed the difficulty in wearing a traditional hijab in her sport. She recounted the garment’s weight, inability to shift with her natural body motion and a lack of breathability. Like many athletes, Amna only had one hijab for competition and thus it had to be hand washed every night.
Nike athlete and champion fencer, Ibtihaj Muhammad, was also consulted when prototypes were being designed. She described many times of being carded for false starts when wearing her hijab. “First, I’d get a warning and then a point against me…I can’t tell you how many times that happened,” she says. “And I’d tell the referee, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I couldn't hear you.’”
Nike athlete and champion fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad in the Nike Pro Hijab
Muhammad, typically competed in a children’s hijab made of double georgette material. Despite the less than ideal fabric, the New Jersey native earned a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics for Team USA.
Athletes also voiced the difficulty in integrating the hijab into their sportswear and uniforms. Tying, pinning and tucking extra fabric can inhibit focus. Not to mention the dangers in using metal pins to hold the hijab in place.
Ibtihaj Muhammad, like so many other athletes don’t have much of a choice. “I remember I only had a few [hijabs] that I used for training and hadn't been able to find that particular style anymore," says Muhammad. “On top of that, hijabs weren't fully understood. When I was in school, I always had to have a letter from a local imam that said that it was safe for me to wear my religious covering during sport," she says. "My coaches had to have that with them at all times."
After designing the initial prototype, Nike presented it to a variety of athletes for performance testing and reactions to the Pro Hijab’s overall appearance; United Arab Emirates figure skater Zahra Lari, athletes from around the Middle East, runners like Manal Rostom, and Zeina Nassar, a German boxer, also assessed the hijabs.
Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari
After receiving input from the athletes, the design team continued to develop and craft a more lightweight, softer and more inconspicuous material. The fit was also modified for the head covering, XS/S and M/L to fit various head sizes and face shapes. After final rounds of testing and detailing the Nike Pro Hijab was complete.
Muhammad was one of the first to experience the final design. “It really sunk in how much my previous hijab was hindering my performance when I tried the Nike Pro Hijab,” says Muhammad. “Suddenly, I could hear, I wasn’t as hot and it felt like my body was able to cool itself down better and faster.”
"I’m not distracted anymore because it sits better and is well adapted for sport." - Zeina Nassar
Yes, the Nike Pro Hijab was originally crafted for professional Muslim women athletes. However, the sportswear can create a safer, more comfortable experience for everyday joggers, young students in P.E classes, and empowering the next generation of athletes. We hope other industries follow suit in creating products that break barriers and increase access to sports.
Pull-on design built from Nike Pro cool mesh for maximum breathability. Increased venting attributed to the light weight polyester and stretchy elastic binding, adapting to the wearer’s head and sport. Elongated back and fluff threads at the neck and face to lessen rubbing and irritation when the athlete sweats. The Pro Hijab debuts its color ways in black, vast gray, and obsidian based on athlete’s desire for dark neutral colors.
Are you excited to see the Nike Pro Hijab? Share your thoughts in the comments below.