The Swim Cap Company Gets Approved For Use in FINA Competitions
The swim cap is a small but important piece of equipment for swimmers. It protects their hair from chlorine, bacteria, and other chemicals in the water. It also reduces drag and provides protection from the sun’s harmful rays.
Customized swim caps serve as a modest billboard, reinforcing team unity and showing allegiance to sponsors. Moreover, they can help boost motivation during training.
Swimma Caps
Swimma was started by a mother, Nomvuya Treffers, who had a problem: her children loved to swim and wanted to participate in swim classes that required caps. But the regular ones simply didn’t fit. And so she decided to take matters into her own hands, designing a swim cap especially for dreadlocks, braids, and afros.
The Swimma silicone cap is designed to keep hair 100% dry while in the pool, beach, or wherever else you’re swimming. The opening is a bit wider than other swim caps, allowing plenty of room for the hair to enter and exit the cap. The cap is also a lot lighter, reducing the stress on the head and shoulders.
Treffers knew she wasn’t alone in her struggle, so Swimma has a range of sizes that accommodates dreadlocks, afros, braids, and long hair – with smaller versions for kids. And because the Swimma caps are made from silicon rather than latex, they’re suitable for those with allergies.
While Treffers had a good idea of the challenges her customers faced with finding swim gear that fit, she was still surprised by how many people were eager to get their hands on the Swimma cap. And that’s one of the things she loves most about her business — seeing that smile on someone’s face.
Soul Cap
After a long-fought battle that pushed swimming to the forefront of national swimming cap company conversation about race and racism, a cap made for Black swimmers with braids, locs and dreadlocks was officially approved for use in top-level competitions by FINA on Friday. The specialized covering, which was invented by Black-owned manufacturer Soul Cap, was banned last year ahead of the Olympics and other world championships, but approval of the new cap from the international management group that oversees the sport’s top events marks a significant victory for people of color and their hair, as well as the wider movement to bring inclusivity and accessibility to competitive swimming.
The cap, which was designed in Britain by Michael Chapman and Toks Ahmed-Salawudeen after taking an adult swim class, allows for voluminous hair to stay tangle-free while keeping chlorine and salt water out. It also helps keep the water and strands of hair from absorbing too much moisture, which can make the sport of swimming more enjoyable and less stressful for many who struggle with the typical tight fit of regular caps.
Cullen Jones, the groundbreaking American swimming gold medalist who won two Olympic golds in 1988, was one of the early advocates for bringing the Soul Cap into competitive pools. He said in an opinion piece for The Guardian on Friday that FINA’s rejection of the cap last year sent the “wrong message” to swimmers, implying that the sport can only accommodate a certain version of themselves.
FINA
FINA is the governing body for competitive swimming and they have strict rules when it comes to regulating the shape of swimwear, including caps. To get the seal of approval, a cap must go through an extensive application process which includes submitting a complete bill of materials and a sample. There is also a modest fee to submit an application, which helps weed out companies that aren’t serious about gaining FINA’s approval.
The British company Soul Cap makes a range of extra-large swimming caps designed for people with afro hair and other diverse styles, including dreadlocks and braids. Earlier this year, they were told their caps were not approved for use in international competitions, such as the Olympics, because they did wholesale silicone baking ware not follow “the natural form of the head.” The ban has sparked heavy criticism, with many saying that FINA’s rules are outdated and racist.
However, FINA has now reversed their decision and has confirmed that the company’s caps will be allowed to be used in all future competitions. They said the move “follows a period of review and discussion on cap design between FINA and Soul Cap over the past year.” While this is a good step, more work needs to be done to promote diversity in competitive swimming, particularly at top levels. This will include breaking down barriers that may keep young Black children from engaging in the sport, such as cost and access to high-quality gear.
Inclusion
Many SafeSplash Schools require students to wear goggles as part of their swimming gear, but there is another essential piece of equipment for swimmers with longer hair: the swim cap. This simple accessory helps eliminate distractions and allows children to focus solely on their swimming lessons.
Swim caps are also available in bright colors, which make it easy for parents to spot their little ones in a crowd or for other swimmers in open water to be easily seen by boaters or lifeguards. At SafeSplash, we believe that belonging is an essential part of the learning process, and a high-quality swim cap can help students feel like they truly belong at our swim schools.
Want to get your team’s logo printed on latex or silicone swim caps? Contact us today to request a quote.