Islamic Swimwear from Modest to Full-Coverage

Modesty is key when designing a Muslim swimwear line.

For example, Splashgear deliberately chooses fabric colors that are opaque even when wet; swim bottoms have a stiff interlining to prevent them from sticking tightly to the legs, and the Resort Shirt is tunic-length to prevent the midriff from showing. Splashgear tests all products thoroughly in the swimming pool to ensure they live up to Islamic standards for modest dress. Visit us at www.splashgearusa.com to find the perfect modest swimsuit combination.

Did you know?

In the 2016 Summer Olympics, 14 Muslim women won medals competing in a wide range of sports. Although Muslim women’s participation in sports has come a long way, many are still struggling to participate because of certain barriers.

Common Barriers of Muslim Women Participating in Sports

Dress Code

Sports facilities, teams, and clubs do not always recognize the need for modest dress.

Communication

Language barriers can arise and make it difficult to communicate needs or access to services.

Need for Women-Only Sessions

Most Muslim women will only participate in female-only sport facilities, which is not always an option.

Facilities

A clean environment, with available water to wash after participation is needed, as is quiet area to pray at specific times of the day.

Lack of Role Models

Greater visibility of Muslim women in sports could facilitate more participation from a younger age.

Parent Approval

young women need parents to understand the benefits of sports and the safety of the environment before participating.

How Sports Dress Code Is Changing to Accommodate Muslim Beliefs

FIFA, the world-governing soccer association, opted to allow hijabs in early 2014. The Elite Swim Team in Kuwait has 850 total members; about 47% (or 400 members) are female. Triathlete Najla Al Jeraiwi has modified her Muslim swimwear in order to compete professionally.

What Is Muslim Swimwear?

In Islam, both men and women are required to cover up their bodies in front of individuals who are not in their family. When it comes to swimwear, Muslim women have a few different full-coverage and modest options:

● Full-body swimsuits cover the whole body except the face, hands, and feet. They are made of lightweight material that allows swimmers to easily glide through water.
● Swim shirts are long-sleeve and designed to be loose in the chest area to demonstrate modesty and not be revealing.


● Swim bottoms are loose-fitting, ankle-length pants that may come with or without a swim skirt.


● For Muslim women’s heads, swim caps go over the ears and hair, while swim hoods offer more coverage (hair, neck, and ears).