Nike Has Designed a 'Pro Hijab' for Muslim Athletes

Nike has created a “Pro Hijab" for female Muslim athletes to wear while competing or working out. It will be available for purchase in early 2018, according to the company.

The dark, opaque head scarf has a pull-on design, and is sewn from a single layer of lightweight, breathable polyester. It’s stretchy, and comes in two sizes—Extra-Small/Small and Medium/Large. The scarf will be available in several dark colors, including black, grey, and obsidian.

“Over recent years, meetings at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon with top-flight athletes have illuminated performance problems associated with wearing a traditional hijab during competition," the company stated in a press release. "For example, Amna Al Haddad, a female weightlifter from the United Arab Emirates, recounted how the garment’s weight, the potential for it to shift during action, and its lack of breathability disrupted her focus. She also detailed her extreme difficulty finding performance hijabs; Amna had only one competition-worthy covering, so she had to hand wash it every night during competitions.”

Nike’s design team spent a year creating various prototype hijabs, which they tested on athletes including Al Haddad, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari and runners and cyclists in the Middle East. The company listened to their feedback before settling on a final design.

As Fortune points out, Nike’s Pro Hijab announcement comes hot on the heels of the company's viral video campaign, “What Will They Say About You,” featuring Arab and Muslim women athletes exercising and competing while wearing hijabs.

"By providing Muslim athletes with the most groundbreaking products, like the Nike Pro Hijab, Nike aims to serve today’s pioneers as well as inspire even more women and girls in the region who still face barriers and limited access to sport," the Nike statement concluded.

Check out some photos of the Nike Pro Hijab below, courtesy of Nike:

[h/t CNN Money]