Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, just launched a partnership to create and sell hijabs in order to build a more inclusive space for patients and their employees, KSTP reported.
Hilal Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the project, is a former volunteer who is now an employee at the hospital.
In an interview with KARE 11, she described the limited options women in the hospital had if they wanted to wear a hijab.
“I first noticed a need when I was working in labor and delivery. Seeing a lot of Muslim women, their hijab was falling off during labor or they were rushed to a c section and there was nothing available to them,” she said. “Sometimes when I was working in the ER I would see someone vomit on a hijab and need to remove it.”
Noticing the need, Ibrahim got to work. She created a company called Henna and Hijabs before signing a first-of-its-kind partnership to sell her exclusively designed hijabs at the hospital’s gift shop.
In an interview with KSTP, Ibrahim explained why she expects the hijabs to sell well.
"If you are a nurse in ICU, or surgery, or labor and delivery, you don't want a scarf that is slipping off constantly; likewise, if you are a patient, you want something that is comforting," she said. "It's breathable, it's flexible, it holds well for the hospital setting for both patients and employees.”
Officials from HealthPartners, a nonprofit healthcare provider and insurance company in the area, said they are proud to partner with Ibrahim.
"I am hopeful others will follow in our footsteps and also look for ways to make their teams feel included," said Chief Human Resources Officer Anahita Cameron.
All of the hijabs will be made in Minnesota, and money raised from sales will help fund health and education programs for staff and patients.