How to Choose the Right Sports Hijab

Fitness requires the utmost comfort and what that means is being comfortable in your fitness attire. If you are a hijabi, comfort and safety in sports are equally important. To get the best fitness experience in a hijab, there are a 3 key areas you need to remember :  Fabric, Safety, Design

1. Fabric

Choose the right fabric.

  • Choose fabric that moisture wicks
    What it means is that the fabric is able to dry fast by  evaporating moisture and sweat away from skin. Most wicking fabrics are made of polyester mix. Typical cotton absorbs moisture and sweat and does not facilitate evaporation well. Therefore, moisture tends to hold onto it and due to that, the fabric becomes heavier and may cause discomfort and chafing. There is moisture wicking cotton designed for sports, but expensive.
  • Breathablility
    Mesh, Pattern Texture or Interlock or mix? Mesh is more breathable as it has small holes to allow ventilation.
    There are some fabric with different types of pattern texture as pique, waffle and stripe pique. They are not smooth but adds flattering element onto your sportswear. Interlock, on the other hand is smooth and soft, but as not breathable as mesh.
    Wafer Pique
    .
    Mesh and Interlock Fabric
  • Thickness & Weight
    Depending on temperature and humidity, you would want to choose the right thickness so that you don’t get too hot or too cold with hijab on. Thickness comes with extra weight. If you are looking for performance sports hijab, choose the ones that are lightweight and fast drying.  If you prefer heavier fabric for personal reasons,  it is ok too. Some prefer heavier fabric as it is not easily blown by the wind, hence does not flip easily.
  • Wet or Dry, or Both
    Find out if fabric is suitable for swimming and water sports. Some polyester and nylon fabric are fast drying and elastic that they are versatile for both dry and wet.

2. Safety features

  • Easily Detachable
    Depending on the level of intensity and ruggedness of your activity, you would want to get sports hijab that is secure but removable easily so that your head or neck does not get snagged. Accidents can happen when your hijab gets stuck or pulled while working out. 
    No pins or brooch

    Avoid wearing pins or brooches on hijab for sporting activities. Be it safety pins, sewing pins or scarf pins, you may not only cause danger to yourself but others who are exercising with you. Brooches with sharp edges and pins may cause unnecessary injuries.
    Wrapsarounds? Maybe not.
    Long scarfs that require wrapping around your neck are not safe as it my cause injuries if the scarf gets stuck or snagged while moving around.

Neck-scarf
Possible injury if scarf wrapped around neck for Sports

  • Reflectors (nice to have)
    Invest a little bit more for additional safety feature like reflectors on your hijab. You would find such feature useful for caving, hiking, trailing and even for running and cycling at night or before the sun comes out.

    Sports Hijab Reflector

    Sports Hijab Reflector

3. Designs

  • Sporty
    Sporty designs typically make use of vivid lines around the head and front. However, if you are not comfortable having such look, you could wear simple and conventional designs. Some sports hijab designs are suitable for both wet and dry activities.

    Short Sporty Design

    Short Sporty Design

  • Length & Width
    Depending on your dressing preference and comfort, you can either choose short or long hijab. Short sports hijab gives better hand movement and lesser obstruction around chest area. Some finds good comfort  tucking in short sports hijabs into their shirts .
    If you prefer long sports hijab for better chest coverage, make sure the sides do not obstruct hand and shoulder movement.

    Long Sports Hijab

    Long Sports Hijab

  • Colors
    Black, white and grey are the common and most universal colors. Do remember however, that black absorbs heat and it does affect sporting experience, especially outdoor and during daytime. Avoid using dark colors and try wearing hints of bright colors on your sports hijab as it adds more vibrant onto your look.

    Hints of Bright Colors

    Hints of Bright Colors

  • Design for the right Sporting Activity
    Jumping & Inversion friendly

    If you are looking for sports hijab for obstacle run, yoga or any sporting activities that require jumping or rolling like netball or volleyball, you may want to look for hijab that does not flip (unflippable) or invert, or you may want to tuck in your hijab.

    Inversion Friendly

  • Competitive or Training
    If you are an athlete looking for performance sports hijab, you need to get the ones made of lightweight and super breathable fabric.
    It is also important that the hijab is comfortable and practical that it does not cause obstruction when you compete. You would want to compete with a clear and free mind. It may be pricier. You can spend a little bit lesser for sports hijab you use for training. It can be longer and heavier and not designed for performance.
    Competitive Sports Hijab

So weigh your options and choose the right sports hijab for a swift and comfortable sporting experience. Check the fabric, make sure the hijab is safe for sports, pick design that flatters you and suits your sporting activity.

Focus on performance and having a great active lifestyle!

 

Modest Activewear for International Games

Even though modest clothing is not new, many do not understand what it is. Based on a recent article on freemalaysiatoday – “A cynical suggestions for SEA GAMES 2017 sports attire for Malaysian contingent”, perhaps there is lack of understanding, creativity or design knowledge that result to such unappealing designs.

Suggested Modest SEA GAMES 2017 Attire

Suggested Modest SEA GAMES 2017 Attire shared on FreeMalaysiaToday

So here’s a list about modest wear.

  • It is not related to any religion or believe.
  • It signifies moderation and humility
  • It is not equals to hijab or robe/jubah
  • It is for all types of body shape
  • It is a choice of comfort or identity
  • It does not necessary affect performance

It Started Modestly 

Modest wear for sports is not new. In fact, performance sports started modestly, and went less and less in fabric, but improved quality.

  • Olympians, be it male or female had loose outfits and more fabric on their skin back then. Over time, the fabric gets lesser and designs tighter, not due to cost constraints, but performance and practical reasons. Some changes in dress code raised eyebrows and community uproared every time they were introduced. You can read more about the evolution of sportswear at the Olympics here.

    Berlin Olympic Games, 1936

    Tennis, Berlin Olympic Games, 1936

  • Swimming suits for example was introduced less than 100 years ago in modest designs. You can read more here.
    It has evolved into many designs and choices, both for performance and leisure.

Then Tight & Shrink

Today, majority sportswear designs are tight and use less fabric. There is not much of a design choice offered for performance sports.

However, with the advancement of technology in textile industry, sports fabrics are getting more and more lightweight with improvements in moisture management.  With this, there are opportunities to design modest sportswear even for performance.

At Nashata, we use different types of fabric for performance and leisure. For example, our performance range uses highly breathable fabric on modest designs. Our Zip Up jacket for example is only 220 grams, despite having to use a lot of fabric.

Zip Up Azeeza

Zip Up Azeeza

Offer | Accept | Respect Choices

Our customers who run full marathons and ultra runs have nothing but compliments and all smiles for being able to run for performance comfortably and modestly. We even have marathon runners who choose to wear our leisure range for performance so that they can perform prayers during runs.

Young Marathoner

Young Marathoner

We have been making women across the globe who choose to dress modestly happy to perform all sorts of sports; horse-riding, golfing, yoga, zumba, badminton and many more.

They feel good, they look good !

There are always room for improvements for modest performance activewear at international level, SEA Games 2017 or not. Nothing is impossible, especially with the advancement of technology, innovation and creativity. We are humbled to take up the challenge and make it possible tastefully, given the opportunity.

Lieutenant Nur Suryani

Malaysia Olympian : Lieutenant Nur Suryani

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Esteemed Zip Up Azeeza | True to Fit

Now you can style in a light weight, zip up top when you work out! We offer you a jacket with innovative features! After much work, rework, test and redesign, the much-await, Zip Up Azeeza has finally arrived.

Zip Up Azeeza

Here are the key features:

  • Long and Designed for TRUE Modesty
  • Highly Breathable and Super light at 220 grams
  • 360 degree Slimming Effect
  • Wrist Pocket & Reflector
  • Nursing Friendly
  • Wear to Style

Let’s grind into the details.

1. Long & Designed for TRUE Modesty

Zip-Up Azeeza is under the Ultra range. It is designed for long hour and performance use. The length is long but not too long. It covers your buttock, even when you bend down. In comparison to our heather ultra top, Zip-up Azeeza is a few cm longer but not long like our Riada tops. It is in between.
Zip Up Style

Zip Up Azeeza

 

2. Highly Breathable and Super light at 220 grams

Yes, it is TRUEly lightweight. The zip up top material is perfect for any type of work out. Just put on, zip up and sweat out! You need not wear any other top underneath.

Zip Up Fabric

3. 360 degree Slimming Effect

 

We always want our sisters to look good and confident. This top has TRUE slimming effect around the waist and arms.

You get slimming effect from the front, sides and back. Yes, it is 360 degrees!

The design does the work, no matter what your body shape is.

You can choose any of these sizes : S,M, L, XL, 2XL

 

Zip Up Azeeza

 

4. Wrist Pocket & Reflector

Stay close to your important belongings securely without adding a few centimeters around your waist.

We place an unapparent pocket on the right wrist where you can keep your keys, IDs and cards easily. The pocket is TRUElsecured with an invisible zip. It is unnoticeable, keeping your belongings securely. Hence you avoid unnecessary attention from thief when you are sweating out in public.

Invisible Pocket Zip Up Azeeza

 

5. Nursing Friendly

Nursing active moms can dress comfortably in Zip Up Azeeza. You can dress to the gym, park or anywhere with nursing child in this top and nurse your child without feeling embarrassed.

Zip Up Azeeza

6. Wear to Style

Lastly, you can wear the Zip Up Azeeza in many styles. The zip extends all the way up to your neck. If you wear sports hijab, you can tuck it in or out to suit your preference. TRUEly, you will have a lot of fun styling in Zip Up Azeeza!

Style in Azeeza

The price is RM189 only. To purchase, visit our store 🙂