In recent years, we have seen more and more companies including a hijab in their workwear package. But sometimes this seems easier than it is in practice. For example, how do you deal with a hijab when the wearer also needs to wear a helmet? Several companies have now found a solution to this.
The first PPE hijab
In 2017, Leena Begum made the news with Muslim-friendly workwear and PPE. The 22-year-old British woman worked as a coordinator for health, safety, and wellbeing on the Thames Tideway Tunnel project. Since the workwear and PPE on the construction site did not align with her religious values, she decided to design it herself.
The result was a fluorescent work coat that reached the knees and a special hijab that she could wear under her helmet. Although Begum’s idea was well received, manufacturers did not immediately adopt it.
A few years later, in 2021, another British woman, Aminah Shafiq, also came up with a special PPE hijab. The senior water advisor was inspired by the headscarves worn by athletes, resulting in a design slightly different from Begum’s. Instead of a scarf wrapped around the head, Shafiq chose a model that could be pulled over the head, with a cut-out at the front to keep the face visible. This way, no pins were needed to keep the scarf in place, making it much safer.
A product in development
Gradually, workwear and PPE companies are also embracing the helmet-hijab. Recently, Leo Workwear, in collaboration with TARMAC, a British company that supplies construction products, developed a PPE hijab. This resulted in a headscarf with a special fabric band on the crown to which the helmet can be attached without pulling on the hair.
The fact that there is still room for improvement is demonstrated by Beau Wangtrakuldee. The Philadelphia-based Ph.D. chemist noticed during her work in the laboratory that her workwear did not adequately protect against fire. With AmorSui, she founded a company that sells flame-resistant clothing specifically designed for laboratory use. It also includes a special, flame-resistant hijab, made of breathable material and without buttons.
A hijab for every workplace
Where construction deals with helmet attachment and laboratories with fire hazards, other professions require other adjustments. For example, the hijab is also increasingly worn by police forces and ambulance services worldwide. There, it is equally important that the headscarf is secured without pins, mainly because the scarf can be pulled. And when that happens, there is a risk that the wearer could be strangled around the neck. Or the scarf could fall off completely, causing embarrassment for the woman in question.
Whether it is part of PPE or a religious accessory, the hijab challenges workwear and PPE manufacturers to be creative. Because it is here and will stay. It just depends on the industry how it will be integrated.
