Nike is launching a new high-performance hijab for Muslim athletes

When you’re a Muslim woman, exercising out in the world, instead of at women’s only gyms or in front of a workout DVD at home, can be tricky.

It’s hard to stay covered when you’re working up a sweat – especially when so many hijab fabrics feel thick and stuffy.

Nike is finally working on a solution.

After putting Muslim women front and centre in a recent campaign, the brand has just announced that they’re releasing an all new Pro Hijab designed for Muslim athletes.

The athletic hijab is designed to be lightweight and breathable, and won’t shift around while the wearer is exercising.

It’s been made with Middle East temperatures in mind, crafted from a lightweight polyester mesh with tiny holes for breathability.

Which is a pretty big deal, as it’ll give Muslim athletes the freedom to move around and push themselves without having to worry about hair popping out, scratchy fabrics, or overheating. Bravo, Nike.

The brand has explained that their Pro Hijab has been years in the making, inspired by Saudi Arabian runner Sarah Attar, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics while wearing a hijab.

‘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,’ said Nike in a statement.

They’ve said that they designed the piece after athletes voiced a need for a hijab that’d help them to perform better, and worked with weightlifter Amna Al Haddad to make sure every part of the process was made to fit in with athletes’ needs.

The Pro Hijab has now been tested by Egyptian running coach Manal Rostom, Emirati figure skater Zahra Lari, and plenty of other athletes from the Middle East. It’ll be available in 2018.