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March 8, 2024
In a move towards inclusivity, Sweaty Betty, the popular UK women’s active-wear brand, and its Foundation have unveiled a new addition to its activewear line – a sports hijab designed to empower Muslim women in athletics. The announcement was timed to coincide with today’s International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration of women’s and girls’ achievements and its focus on promoting of gender equity.
This year’s IWD themes are to “Inspire Inclusion” and “Invest In Women,” highlighting the importance of promoting inclusivity and celebrating differences. This includes breaking down participation barriers to sports and exercise activities for women and girls. Sweaty Betty’s decision to launch the sports hijab is part of the brand’s mission to “empower women through fitness and beyond.”
A hijab is a head covering worn in public by many Muslim women for the purposes of “honor[ing] modesty and a dedication to God.” Sweaty Betty now joins a movement towards modest active wear lines offering new sports hijabs over the past few years, with brands increasingly seeking to include Muslim women and provide activewear that fits diverse needs.
The new sports hijab was designed in collaboration with The Sweaty Betty Foundation and teenage girls across the UK. According to a 2019 report, Muslim women are more likely to do less activity than other women per week. In order to guide its design, the teens, along with Leeds Girls Can and sports activist Lipa Nessa, who wears a hijab, spoke about the barriers Muslim women face in sports and how the hijab prevents some girls from exercising. The girls shared that schools in the UK have gone as far as to require Muslim girls to remove their hijabs in order to participate in gym class. This is also in line with discriminatory hijab bans in many countries.
Around 97% of British Muslim women desire to increase their current participation in sports, according to 2023 research by the Muslimah Sports Association – the largest Muslim women’s sports charity in England. Afsana Lachaux, Director of the Sweaty Betty Foundation, told Women’s Health, “It is vital that girls feel confident, safe and comfortable when taking part in sports and physical activity. By redesigning the Sports hijab, more girls will be able to lead active, healthy and happy lives.”
Sweaty Betty has been at the forefront of redesigning women’s fashion to be comfortable and functional, including revolutionizing women’s sports bras, yoga wear and sports leggings. According to the Sweaty Betty Foundation, approximately 72% of all women, including Muslim women, report discomfort while exercising. The new sports hijab was therefore designed with comfort and safety in mind.
By providing modest active wear, women wearing the hijab now have more options to exercise comfortably, without the need for pins or being told to remove their hijab in order to be allowed to participate in sports, for example. Considerations such as whether the material is lightweight, breathable, pull-on and moisture resistant often are important to women wearing a sports hijab, enabling them to work out across all fitness levels.
It also offers hidden banding and magnetic fastenings to hold the hijab in place and provide different options for stylings to fit personal taste. With these adaptations, the new Sweaty Betty hijab aims to empower and inspire girls to get active, offering a fresh alternative to other hijabs on the market. All proceeds from the new sports hijab will be donated to the Foundation. The brand also designed a long-sleeved modest shirt, with proceeds from those sales also donated to the Foundation.
Photos: Sweaty Betty Foundation
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