"Hijabs for Life" in Canada

The headscarves are made in bright colors and fashionable styles.

"You see stores that cater to all kinds of girls -- to rocker girls, girlie girls, sporty girls -- but there's nothing for the hijabi girls," said Azzawi.

"If I can do something to change that, I will."

The 24-year-old engineering grad has established an online company for making hijabs that suit Muslim sports girls.

Sub-named "Hijabs for Life", the headscarves are made in bright colors and fashionable styles with contrasting piping or panels.

The veils are made of the same breathable stretch fabric as workout tops and pants with terrycloth over the forehead to absorb sweat and pads the opening to cushion the face.

Inside is a pocket to tuck a ponytail.

There are also hijabs made of soft fleece and striped or plain woolly knits for icy winters.

"None of the hijabs have metal in them -- no metal buttons or zippers, nothing to pull off or injure anyone," said Azzawi.

There are also hijabs for yoga and another for running.

The issue of hijab wearing in sports has come to the fore in recent months.

An 11-year-old Canadian girl was thrown out from a national Judo tournament last November for wearing hijab.

The World Taekwondo Federation, the sport's largest organization, ruled last May that women players would not be allowed to cover their hair in its competitions.

In March, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) said hijab is forbidden in soccer games.

The ruling came after a Canadian Muslim was expelled from a soccer game for wearing a hijab.

Canadian Symbol

One of Azzawi's favorite designs is made in the colors of the Canadian team in white with red piping and a maple leaf just above the temple.

"If a young girl were to wear this and she was competing and they told her to take it off, she'd not just be taking off a hijab but a symbol of Canada," said Azzawi.

Azzawi has received demands for her hijab from the buyer and costume designer for Canadian sitcom Little Mosque on the Prairie.

She also hopes that her hijab will also be worn on the CBC-TV show's third season.

So far, Azzawi has sold 85 of her "hijabs for life" in Ottawa, the United States, Britain, Belgium and Singapore.

Azzawi, whose project was one of eight Ottawa-area projects chosen to be funded by the Ontario government's Summer Company program, is now aspiring for expanding her project.

"That's a big, big market," she said.

She now envisions a quirky line of T-shirts with sayings like "Islam's cool," and an aquatic line of "modest" swim clothes following the "burkini" example.

The "burkini", a two-piece swimsuit incorporating a head covering, a loose-fitting chemise and leggings, was designed in Australia to allow women and girls who wear traditional Islamic dress to go swimming.

Hijab has been thrust into the limelight since the 2004 French ban on the Muslim headscarf at public schools and institutions.

Several European countries have since followed the French lead.