This Activewear Hijab Is a Total Game Changer for Muslim Athletes

In addition to the fact that people of all shapes, sizes, and cultural backgrounds are allowed to have an interest in fitness, someone finally came out with an activewear hijab.

Traditionally, the head scarves have made working up a sweat difficult for female athletes—competing in an Ironman is hard enough without the added burden of dealing with cumbersome draping. But that’s all changing thanks to the founders of Asiya, an activewear company geared towards Muslim women.

Asiya

The company crowd-funded some serious cash to make the dream of creating a gym-ready hijab a reality for Muslim women around the world, according to Cosmopolitan. The sport hijabs, which will officially launch in February, are designed to be breathable, made of moisture-wicking fabric, and cut to minimize extra fabric that can hinder movement. It even has a built in headband to keep sweaty strands in place. Asiya’s sport hijabs are also fashionably diverse. The $35 hijabs come in three styles ranging from light to full coverage and can be ordered in custom prints. How cool will it be to see Muslim girls rocking their team colors when they hit the field?

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More signs of inclusivity:

1. This Pageant Queen Just Made History as the First to Wear A Burkini and Hijab in Competition
2. Meet Noor Tagouri, the First Woman to Appear in Playboy Wearing a Hijab
3. There Are Now Hijabs to Match Every Skin Tone

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After what seems like of an eternity of using a single, narrow definition for what a female athlete should look like, the world of sports is joining the overall mood of inclusivity—including a massive movement of body positivity, the welcoming of male beauty bloggers into the fold, and an increasing excitement about diversity in industries where appearances are frequently judged. Finally, we’re seeing more and more stereotypes fall to make way for a full spectrum of people. This year, women in hijabs have made major headlines—we cheered on Ibtihaj Muhammed in Rio as the first Muslim woman to rep Team USA wearing a hijab; we had mad respect for the fully-covered Shirin Gerami, who became the first woman to represent Iran in a triathlon; and we loved 19-year-old Halima Aden when she became the first beauty queen to compete in Minnesota wearing a hijab and burkini. It’s only natural then that the collective forces of fashion and sports are starting to pay attention to the needs of hijabi.

After the launch of the sport hijab, Asiya plans to take on the full spectrum of activewear, empowering women with conservative beliefs to pursue their goals unencumbered. Check out the full line or help support the cause by sponsoring an athlete here.

Muslim girls share why they choose to wear, or not wear, the hijab every day: