Under Armour introduces the UA Sport Hijab
Saman Munir was tired of working out in traditional hijabs, so she and Under Armour worked together to produce one with athletic performance in mind
Under Armour recently introduced an athletic hjiab, which is a traditional head covering worn by some Muslim women. The UA Sport Hijab was designed with the help of Saman Munir, a Toronto-based certified personal trainer and UA brand ambassador. Munir spent years working out with hijabs that were not designed for exercise, so she was the perfect person to help UA make one with comfort and athletic performance in mind.
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Designing the hijab
Munir has been a part of the UA team since 2017. She has played a number of different sports, and she always struggled with having to wear uncomfortable hijabs while working out. “I used to have to wear a traditional hijab to exercise,” she says. “It would become soaked in sweat and become repeatedly untucked, which meant I had to go to the bathroom to fix it and ruin the flow of my workout.” When she became a UA athlete, she and the team started to talk about a new product made for Muslim athletes.
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“I wanted to be top-to-bottom Under Armour, not just the neck down,” Munir says. “I worked closely with them through every step of the process. We took our time to make sure we got every aspect right.” Munir says she tested several prototypes of the hijab and worked closely with the designers, and she adds that they definitely got it right with the final product.
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“It’s so breathable and light,” she says. “It’s long enough to cover the front and back so it won’t become untucked, and it wicks sweat and dries really quickly.” The hijab even has built-in headphone access, so anyone wearing it can get dialled into their workouts.
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Under Armour’s stand for equality
UA notes that the company’s brand values are to stand for equality and to ensure that all athletes have the gear they need to train. “It’s so encouraging to be associated with a company like Under Armour,” Munir says. She tells a story of a UA team retreat in 2019. It was during Ramadan, a month during which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Munir says UA was “extremely considerate in respecting my needs,” and that they made sure she had everything she needed to follow her religious customs.
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“This means so much to me,” she says. “I don’t know any other company that I’ve worked with that went above and beyond to respect my beliefs and give me what I needed.” Munir adds that UA’s hijab production will not only help support Muslim women who are currently involved in sports, but that “it will encourage a new generation of athletes to pursue sports professionally.”
The hijab is available now for $40 on the UA website. To learn more about it, click here.
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