*On the heels of its newly-launched plus-size apparel for women, Nike is becoming even more inclusive with the reveal of its forthcoming Nike Pro Hijab for Muslim women athletes.
Global Nike spokeswoman told Al Arabiya English that the product was “designed as a direct result of our athletes telling us they needed this product to perform better, and we hope that it will help athletes around the world do just that.”
Nike Pro Hijab features a single-layer pull-on design made from lightweight polyester in dark, neutral colors. The fabric’s tiny holes will make it breathable while remaining opaque, a requirement for hijab-wearing women. Nike called the mesh material its “most breathable fabric.”
The design process took 13 months, and the final product will be available in Spring 2018.
“The Nike Pro Hijab may have been more than a year in the making, but its impetus can be traced much further back, to an ongoing cultural shift that has seen more women than ever embracing sport,” a statement from Nike says, according to Al Arabiya English.
Nike said the hijab is already being worn by Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari.
“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.”
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