Nike unveils new 'Pro Hijab' for Muslim female athletes

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 7 March 2017

Nike announced Tuesday that it's coming out with a piece of athletic apparel specifically designed for Muslim women. The Nike Pro Hijab, which will be available for purchase in spring 2018, comes in neutral colors and its fabric is opaque but also lightweight and breathable. Nike reportedly began developing the Pro Hijab after "some Muslim athletes complained about wearing a traditional scarf during competition," CNN reported.

Already, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari is wearing the new Nike hijab. "I was thrilled and a bit emotional to see Nike prototyping a hijab," Lari said in a statement. "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 light weight."

The reveal comes just weeks after Nike Middle East released an ad featuring Arab women running, skateboarding, boxing, playing soccer, fencing, and ice skating. As the women are confronted with stares — an issue Time noted many Middle Eastern women "face daily while trying [to] engage in an active and healthy lifestyle" — the question arises, "What will they say about you?" Maybe they'll say "it's unladylike," the ad says, or maybe they'll say "you're strong."