On September 26, SOUL CAP, in partnership with Adidas, started selling a new and capacious swimming cap for adults and children with long and voluminous hair. The latest product design aims to promote diversity and break down social barriers that discourage people from taking up swimming.
The white linen cap with green decals will adorn the heads of up-and-coming swimmers who can’t wear regular swimming caps due to their naturally voluminous hair. The cap expectedly comes in a range of sizes, but it features only a single color. While white and green aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, the company certainly picked out a neutral and delightful hue for the details.
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The latest product is completely on-brand for Adidas, which recently launched full-cover swimwear of all sizes in a bid to make swimming more inclusive and accessible. The same goes for SOUL CAP, a London-based startup that is also in the business of designing inclusive swimwear for everyone. The startup knows that one-size-fits-all sportswear doesn’t, in fact, fit a lot of people.
Both SOUL CAP and Adidas agree that sport is for everyone, but sportswear generally isn’t. Their latest product enables equal participation in swimming for people of all hair types, and is a testament of both companies’ dedication to inclusivity.“We’re excited to collaborate with SOUL CAP to jointly tackle one of swimming’s biggest barriers: accessibility,” said Celine Del Genes, Adidas Global General Manager of Specialist Sports.
“We’re driven to make the water a more fun, inclusive and social space and this partnership is another step forward in making that ambition a reality for all.”
The Adidas x SOUL CAP is made out of 100% silicone that creates less pressure on the hair, allowing for more comfort and less snag. Every hair type and length can fit comfortably and benefit from the spaciousness of the new cap, resulting in a more pleasurable swimming session for the owner.
Michael Chapman and Toks Ahmed started SOUL CAP in 2017, after attending swimming lessons for adults. They quickly noticed that everyone gets the same cap, regardless of their head shape or hair size. It was an uncomfortable process to say the least.
But it was only when they met a woman with afro hair struggling with her swimming cap at the pool that they realized how ludicrous it is that caps come in a one size fits all model, or rather capacities. The rest is, as they say, history.
