The hijab demand has brought about a dynamic burst of creativity and some brands are now household names.
THE local hijab market is a highly competitive segment in the fashion industry.
There could be thousands of local hijab brands currently in the market since its rapid growth over the last decade.
These brands offer choices of hijab in various styles, materials and colours. There are bawal, shawl, instant, semi-instant, two-face, pinless, ironless... the list goes on and on.
Prices range from low to medium and, of course, there are the expensive ones such as those adorned with Swarovski crystals, pearls and lace.
As expected, almost everyone wants a share of the lucrative pie by having their own line of hijab which include celebrities, fashionistas, fashion designers, as well as social media influencers and even the average woman on the street.
It is difficult to list down each and every local hijab brand, but, in no particular order, here are seven of the most popular.
UMMA
Year founded : 2017
Instagram : @umma.my
Followers : 56,000
Signature scarves : Semi-instant hijab
Price range : From RM49 to RM109.
Available at : umma.my, FashionValet, Zalora and Shopee. The brand also has a counter at Isetan KLCC and Aeon Shah Alam.
Umma began when Zairin Zainul Azman, who made the decision to adhere to the Muslimah attire three years ago, had difficulty finding hijab that was easy to wear, especially for working mothers.
“I wanted everyone who had just taken up wearing the scarf to still be able to look fashionable without compromising modesty.
“I would describe our hijab as easy-to-wear and comfortable. They are made of amazing fabric and the designs are stylish and practical,” says Zairin, who co-founded the brand with her siblings, Aznita and Zainul Azrin.
Their first collection, Azra, was a semi-instant chiffon hijab with an attached inner made of breathable lycra. It was designed for women on the go who are looking for an easy, one-size-fits-all style.
Since then, Umma has introduced 22 different types of shawls, squares, semi-instants and the khimar as well, which is a slip-on hijab. There are between 10 and 15 colours per collection in premium chiffon, chiffon, cotton, matte satin, satin, cotton voile and lace.
For those who prefer a bit of embellishments on their hijab, there are two wide cotton shawl designs they can choose from — Uzma and Salwa. Uzma is adorned with pearls and crystals, while Salwa has pearl detailing on lace.
PURDY PETALS
Year founded : 2012
Instagram : @purdypetals
Followers : 63,000
Signature scarves : Floral printed shawls
Price range : From RM35 to RM180.
Available at : purdypetals.com
Purdy is slang for pretty. Whether printed or plain, the hijab selection from Purdy Petals is well-known for being different. The hijab comes in colours that are only offered by the brand, be it embroidered bawal or floral scarves, its bestselling design.
Founder, Anna Ismail, started the brand when she could not find the preferred size, colour or quality in the hijab available in the market. Its first collection of plain shawls offered more than 100 hues of colours which became an instant hit with its customers.
Knowing that personal touch is important, Anna is still responsible for the designs and colour choices, all of which are made locally.
She also accepts custom orders from women who want their very own design and style. Another trademark service of Purdy Petals is providing customers with beribboned boxes.
Purdy Petals’ hijabs are made from chiffon material, either cerrutti, georgette or crepe. There are different colour hues, thickness and textures where the hijabs are concerned.
HERMANAS
Year founded : 2018
Instagram : @hermanas.my
Followers : 40,000
Signature scarves : Printed bawal
Price range : From RM49 to RM197
Available at : hermanas.my, Shopee and Zalora
While it is relatively new to the market, Hermanas is often included on the list of top local hijab brands.
It was founded by husband-and-wife team of Syed Zulhilmi Tuan Sharif and Zulaikha Mohamad.
“Hermanas means sister in Spanish, and we want our brand to be the choice for sisters, best friends or any woman who loves the square scarf or bawal with exclusive designs. Our hijab is an alternative for women who love to look different.
“Our motifs, patterns and designs give a different look when tried or worn. We want our customers to feel confident when wearing our creations. We want to bring out the inner beauty in people and make them look younger too,” says Syed Zulhilmi.
Their hijab are made from custom-made fabric to ensure they are suitable for our hot and humid weather.
Made and designed locally, Hermanas hijab always have a combination of three colours whether they are abstract, geometry or floral in design. There is also a plan to produce hijab for sports using special fabric for active women in the future.
RADIUSITE
Year founded : 2008
Instagram : @radiusite
Followers : 454,000
Signature scarves : Beaded double loop shawl
Price range : From RM39 to RM129
Available at : radiusite.com.my and boutiques in Rawang, Shah Alam and Bangi
Radiusite offers premium quality hijab with unique detailing, specialising in beaded ones at affordable prices while upholding the Syariah code, says founder A’tikah Ash’ari.
The brand has a wide selection such as express hijab, instant hijab, long shawls, half moon shawls and square scarves.
They are designed by A’tikah and made locally from high quality chiffon, satin and polyester.
“We have hijab with exclusive designs that are adorned with shimmering embellishments such as beads on the side for a glamorous look. There are also simple, minimalist, high quality hijab with beautiful drapes that can be styled within minutes which are perfect for every day use.”
A’tikah started Radiusite by selling hijabs online. Thanks to her determination and resilience, within a short period of time, the brand has grown to become one of the most popular hijab brands in the country.
Since then, A’tikah has expanded her business to include two subsidiaries dealing in contemporary modest fashion and bridal apparel and accessories.
TUDUNG PEOPLE
Year founded : 2011
Instagram : @tudungpeople
Followers : 316,000
Signature scarves : Wide length printed shawl
Price range : From RM48 to RM189.
Available at : tudungpeople.com. It has a boutique in Bangi and pop-up store in Ikano Power Centre and 12 distributors abroad including in Singapore, Brunei, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
No hijab collection is complete without one or two pieces from TudungPeople.
The brand understands what women need when it comes to hijab, says co-founder Fazrena Aziz.
The brand offers hijab in various styles, sizes and designs that strike a balance between looking pretty and dressing modestly.
There are more than 40 collections with up to 400 different colours for printed shawl, square and instants which also feature embellishments of Swarovski crystals.
Materials used are soft lightweight cotton, lycra, cotton silk, cotton chiffon, bubble crepe, mix crepe and satin silk. There are also hijab boasting the latest ironless and pinless designs.
One of its most beautiful designs is its latest Tresor Fruits of Jannah collection, inspired by an interpretation of the gardens of heaven.
The collection features detailed botanical illustrations of two significant fruits in Islam — dates and olives — tied together with golden ropes.
TudungPeople is also the first hijab brand to have shawls in both medium and large sizes as well as extra large sizes for limited and special collections.
In addition to hijab, a few years ago, the brand also launched the quick dry, anti microbial sports hijab — the Najwa shawl.
NAELOFAR
Year founded : 2014
Instagram : @naelofar
Followers : 657,000
Signature scarves : Swarovski studded shawl
Price range : From RM40 to RM113
Available at : en-my.naelofar.com. Boutiques in Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Shah Alam and 100 stockists in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
With the super-popular celebrity behind the brand, Naelofar has grown by leaps and bounds since it was launched five years ago.
Founded by television host and actress Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor, the brand has a huge following and has become one of the most sought-after hijabs in Malaysia.
The brand has produced more than 80 collections which include shawl, square, semi instant shawl, scarves and turban.
It has also launched collections based on Neelofa’s characters in Malay television dramas.
Through a strategic partnership with Swarovski, Naelofar has introduced various hijab designs that are embellished with such crystals. One popular design is Yuri, a semi instant shawl with Swarovski crystals embellished on the crown area which makes for a very regal design.
With the brand’s tagline being Effortlessly Chic, it strives to be different from other homegrown brands by reinventing the image of the hijab to one that is chic, modern, practical and also hassle-free for confident women.
dUCk SCARVES
Year founded : 2014
Instagram : @theduckgroup
Followers : 420,000
Signature scarves : Limited edition designs and prints
Price range : RM130 to RM2,500
Available at : fashionvalet.com. dUCk stores in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Suria KLCC and FashionValet stores.
Known for its exclusive prints, beautiful embellishments and limited edition designs, the brand always creates a frenzy among fans and followers every time there is a teaser of a new collection, which often sells out within minutes
The success lies with its founder, Vivy Sofinas Yusof, who has taken the brand to a whole new level since she launched the first collection of scarves back in 2014.
dUCk scarves may come with a hefty price tag but this does not stop fans from buying them.
In fact, the brand is in such high demand that many do not mind paying up to triple the original price.
Such is the demand for dUCk scarves that its most expensive and luxurious scarf — which was launched recently at RM2,500, quickly sold out online. Each chiffon scarf in dUCk’s Luxe Chiffon Lace collection is adorned with 1,300 Austrian-made Xirius Rose Swarovski crystals and is complemented with a lace border.