Melanie Elturk, co-founder and CEO of Haute Hijab. Photo: Instagram/@hautehijab
US-based hijab brand Haute Hijab has pledged to donate over 500 headscarves to the healthcare workers fighting Covid-19. With medical staff risking their lives every time they go into work to treat those affected by the coronavirus, hijab-wearing women have taken to washing their headscarves more frequently and after every use to maintain sanitation, and are thus facing a shortage.
“We do need hijabs,” shares Dr Riham Alwan, a hijab-wearing ER doctor on the frontlines. “If you can imagine, before you wouldn’t be as alarmed about it, but at this stage, those of us on the frontlines, we really need to stock up on these hijabs cause we’re washing them after every use.”
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As such, Melanie Elturk, co-founder and CEO of Haute Hijab first donated 250 hijabs to the female medical staff, which were all spoken for in about 45 minutes. “Many of our friends and family members are currently risking their lives during this pandemic,” says Elturk. “In thinking critically about what Haute Hijab could do to help in the rising crisis, we came up with a plan to donate 250 hijabs to healthcare workers fighting Covid-19 who needed them most.”
Noticing that the need for hijabs was more crucial than anticipated, Haute Hijab left the form open for any healthcare professional to request for a headscarf and went on to produce and ship additional ones through crowdfunding. Those looking to help out and make a donation only need to buy this product from the brand which will then donate a jersey headscarf on behalf of the buyer. “We’re committed to supplying hijab-wearing women on the frontlines with a fresh, sanitary hijab so there’s one less thing they have to worry about,” adds Elturk.
As of Thursday, April 2, Haute Hijab has been able to receive 291 donation orders, and within one week will be shipping over 540 headscarves to the healthcare workers in need. Currently, there are more than 1,700 healthcare workers on the waiting list as Haute Hijab continues its efforts to make sure that those on the frontline have enough of fresh, sanitary hijabs to carry on working with their safety intact.
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