Modest sportswear: ‘The length of a sleeve is everything in this business’
There is a difference between “Islamic” sportswear and “modest” sportswear, says Managing Director Fatima Fakier of Botswana-based Friniggi. Where other companies target as broad a market as possible, for Friniggi, marketing it as Islamic sportswear gives a clear indication of what is on offer.
Salaam Gateway: Botswana has a very small Muslim community but Africa as a whole is home to a substantial Muslim population. How big is Friniggi’s market reach?
Fatima Fakier: African Muslim practices do not prioritise exercise and sports for girls. Financial and other uniquely African constraints put the need for Muslim sportswear at the bottom of the list. Typically, African consumers do not shop online much, though there is an upward trend. The few who desire Muslim sportswear actively seek us out. We have shipped to African countries as far as Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Salaam Gateway: You have a clear marketing and branding position targeting Muslim women. How successful has this strategy of specifically selling sportswear that is “Islamic” been for the company?
Fatima Fakier: I had seen the Muslim sportswear market as higher risk than the regular Muslim fashion market. The latter being wider, more in demand and easily accepted everywhere. For this reason, I had launched the brand on an experimental basis to get firsthand knowledge of market dynamics.
Muslim sportswear brings with it economical, cultural and religious obstacles. Many Muslim communities still do not find it acceptable for women’s participation in public sports and exercise. Many Muslim women do not prioritise sports and exercise. The few that have active lifestyles, may not abide by the Islamic dress code. Under these conditions, there is no need for Muslim sportswear. Finding the overlap in the market of the consumer who practices Islamic modesty and participates in sports, was the key for our brand. This required precision focus on the target market and their specific needs, which is not found anywhere else in the wider Muslim market.
This strategy has resulted in attracting customers who seek Islamic sportswear, and not merely modest sportswear which encompasses a wide range of modest clothing that may not meet their dress code requirements. The length of a sleeve is everything in this business. To avoid confusion, and make shopping easier for a consumer who already sought far and wide for unique sportswear, labelling it as Islamic sportswear gives a clear indication of what is on offer.
Salaam Gateway: Is there a potential growth brand and market positioning for Friniggi beyond Islamic needs for modesty for Muslim women?
Fatima Fakier: Yes, there is a potential to grow beyond Islamic sportswear. However I feel that Muslim women’s dress codes are unique and are not met by the general clothing industry. Other modest clothing consumers needs are met wholly or partially simply by going to their nearest mall. The risk of widening reach means losing focus, and this risks brand positioning confusing the consumer and their perception of the brand. However, I would not rule it out completely.
Salaam Gateway: There are several modest sportswear companies coming up in different countries around the world. Does Friniggi see a need for a merger of some of these companies in order to achieve scale and increase chances of penetrating more markets?
Fatima Fakier: Yes, a merger would increase the chances of penetrating more markets and achieving scale. Mergers can be tricky and the interests of each company would need to be firmly secured or buy into a shared objective. Most of these companies are owner managed, and the brands are an extension of themselves which may cause some resistance to merging with another company. An alternative is angel investing, which usually includes an exit strategy for the investor.
Salaam Gateway: Is the modest sportswear market big enough to attract the major global sportswear brands such as Nike, Adidas and Reebok?
Fatima Fakeir: No, not at the moment. Otherwise they would have been in it already. Nike had an opportunity to design Islamic sportswear for a charity project a few years ago. At the time, they had expressed no interest in taking their product to market. Perhaps the social risks and implications of starting Muslim sportswear outweighs the financial benefits. When the modest sportswear market is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions, they will enter. But not until then.
Salaam Gateway: What are you hoping to achieve for Friniggi for the mid-term (up to five years), what’s in the pipeline?
Fatima Fakier: Friniggi has been in an experimental stage in order to gain market knowledge. Now, I hope to use our first hand knowledge to penetrate the market and gain a firmer foothold in major Muslim sportswear markets. Hopefully, establishing the brand as the go-to brand for Muslim women’s sportswear.
ABOUT FRINIGGI
| When was Friniggi founded? | 2009 |
| Where are you based? | Botswana |
| How many people do you employ? | There are no employees. All work is outsourced. |
| Where do you get your raw materials from? | South Africa |
| Where are your products manufactured? | Botswana |
| What’s your best-selling item? | Pioneer 203 moisture wicking sports top |
| Who is Friniggi’s typical customer? | We call her Ameera-jane. She is typically Western or living in secular countries. She values Islamic modesty, an active lifestyle and wants to participate fully in life. |
| Does Friniggi follow any ethical guidelines for the type and sourcing of materials, as well as manufacturing of its products? | We aim to be an African brand, so this means sourcing and producing as much as possible from within the African continent. Mostly, we work with tailors who have the autonomy to choose their work environment and prices, as our quantities have not been very large. Moving forward, we seek larger manufacturing units that are clean, and meet standards of quality control and good working conditions for employees. |
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