“My coach used to ask if I was okay every time I fixed my old hijab. Now she doesn’t notice. That’s the point—it disappears so I can focus.”
And sometimes, a piece of mesh with a swoosh on it can do more than wick sweat. It can change who sees themselves as an athlete. nike hijab pro
“In 90°F weather, my cotton hijab would be soaked by mile 3. The Pro Hijab stays light. Downside? It’s not warm at all in winter—you’ll need a layer.” “My coach used to ask if I was
It proved that a Fortune 500 company could design for a minority market—and do it respectfully, not as a diversity checkbox. More importantly, it gave millions of young Muslim girls a visual cue: You belong on the track, in the pool, on the court. Exactly as you are. It can change who sees themselves as an athlete
Nike’s response was surprisingly quiet but effective: they let athletes speak. When Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad wore the Pro Hijab on the cover of TIME magazine, she said: “This isn’t about Nike saving anyone. It’s about them seeing us. We were already playing. We just needed gear that worked.”
And that reframed the whole conversation: from “Is this necessary?” to “Why did it take so long?” I interviewed three everyday athletes who use it:
Some critics said Nike was “profiting off oppression.” Others (including some Muslim voices) argued that a global brand shouldn’t define what “modest sportswear” looks like.
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