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Every hijab shop now sells both, and every hijabi has an opinion. Modal is softer and drapes better. Cotton is tougher and breathes better. Both are true, and which one you should wear depends on the day. Here is the full comparison, for hijabs and for modest clothing generally, and then a straight answer for each situation.

What they are

Cotton is a plant fibre, picked from the cotton boll, spun and woven or knitted. It has been worn for thousands of years and it is the fabric most of us grew up in.

Modal is made from beech tree pulp, dissolved and spun into a fibre. It is a type of rayon, classed as semi-synthetic because the raw material is natural wood but the process is chemical. It was developed in the 1950s and became the hijab fabric of choice in the last ten years.

The word that matters for modal is “cellulose.” Modal and cotton are both cellulose fibres, which is why they feel related. Modal is cellulose that has been rebuilt into a finer, smoother, more uniform thread, which is where all its differences come from.

Drape

Modal wins, clearly. Modal falls in soft folds and sits flat against the head. A modal hijab wraps once, pins once, and stays. Cotton has more body and stiffness, which is fine for a square hijab tied at the back, and less fine for a long wrap that you want to fall straight.

Breathability

Cotton wins in dry heat. Modal wins in humidity. Cotton lets air through and feels cool on a dry hot day. Modal absorbs moisture faster than cotton, which means on a humid day or during Taraweeh in a crowded room it pulls sweat away from the skin and feels cooler longer. In Edmonton in July, either. In Toronto in August, modal.

Slipping

Cotton grips. Modal slides. Cotton has a slight texture that holds against an undercap. Modal is smooth, and on a smooth undercap it slips. The fix is a cotton or textured undercap under a modal hijab, or magnets at the two points that matter. If you work somewhere you cannot adjust your hijab all day, this is the deciding factor.

Pilling and wear

Cotton is tougher. Cotton jersey can go through a normal wash cycle for years. Modal pills at the edges where it rubs, and it weakens when wet, so it needs a mesh bag and a cold cycle. We wrote the full care routine in how to wash modal. Cotton you can throw in with everything else.

Wrinkling

Modal wins. Modal resists wrinkles and recovers from being stuffed in a bag. Cotton creases, and a cotton hijab that has been in a drawer needs an iron. For travel, modal.

Colour

Modal holds colour better. The smooth fibre takes dye evenly and keeps it. Cotton fades, especially dark colours, especially with hot washes. A black modal hijab is still black in two years. A black cotton one is charcoal.

Opacity

Cotton is more opaque at the same weight. Lightweight modal can be sheer, and a single layer of thin modal over the chest may not give the coverage you want. Cotton voile at the same weight covers better. For a hijab worn over a high neckline this does not matter. For one meant to cover the chest on its own, check the weight or go with cotton.

Cost

Cotton is usually cheaper. A plain cotton hijab is a few dollars less than the equivalent modal, and premium modal is noticeably more. A modal hijab from Voile Chic is around $22. A cotton-blend from Txameru is under $20. Over a wardrobe of twenty hijabs that adds up, and over the life of the hijab it evens out, because the modal lasts if it is cared for.

The environmental question

This one is contested and worth being honest about. Cotton uses a great deal of water, and conventional cotton uses pesticides. Organic cotton fixes the pesticides and some of the water. Modal uses beech, which grows without irrigation, and the pulp-to-fibre process can be done in a closed loop that recycles its chemicals, which is what TENCEL-branded modal does. Cheap, unbranded modal may not be produced that way. The best answer for both: buy less, buy better, and wash cold.

Modal vs cotton for modest clothing

Everything above applies to abayas, maxi dresses, and layers too. Modal jersey makes the softest abaya and the one that clings least. Cotton makes the one that breathes in summer and holds a shape. A modal maxi under a cotton overlayer is a combination that works most of the year.

The straight answer

Everyday office hijab: modal, with a cotton undercap.

Summer, dry heat, outdoors: cotton.

Summer, humid: modal.

Taraweeh and long prayers: modal, because it stays put through sujood.

Travel: modal, because it does not wrinkle.

A hijab that has to cover the chest on its own: cotton, or a heavier modal.

A first hijab for a teenager: cotton jersey, because it forgives rough washing and wears in rather than out.

A hijab to wear every day for three years: modal, washed properly.

Most hijabis end up with both: a drawer of modal for the days that matter and a drawer of cotton for the days that do not. That is the right answer, and it took most of us a decade of buying the wrong one to get there.

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The long denim skirt was a modest fashion staple before it was a trend, and now that the rest of the world has caught up, there are more of them in the shops than there have been in twenty years. Here are ten long jean skirt outfits that work with a hijab, sorted by season, with notes on which tops, which layers, and which hijab colours make denim look intentional.

First, the skirt

Three cuts matter. A-line maxi in rigid denim, which holds its shape and is the most flattering on most people. Tiered in soft Tencel denim, which moves like a dress. Straight column with a back slit, which is the one to check for slit height before buying. For everyday, the CHARTOU high-waist A-line maxi is the one that keeps coming up. For something lighter, the Tronjori tiered Tencel denim is soft enough for summer.

Mid to dark wash reads as more polished. Light wash reads as casual. Black denim reads as not denim at all, which is useful for work.

Fall

1. Chunky knit and ankle boots. A cream or oatmeal oversized sweater, tucked at the front or left long, with a dark wash A-line skirt and flat ankle boots. Hijab in rust, mustard, or forest green. This is the outfit every hijabi has been wearing since September and there is a reason.

2. Long cardigan over a fitted base. A high-neck long-sleeve top in black or white, a long open-front knit cardigan in camel or grey, and the skirt. The cardigan does the covering, so the base can be fitted. Hijab in the same family as the cardigan.

3. Button-down and loafers. A white or striped oversized button-down, buttoned to the top, with the sleeves rolled once and the skirt. Loafers. Hijab in navy or black. This is the office version.

Winter

4. Long coat, everything underneath. A knee-length or longer coat in camel or black over a turtleneck and the skirt. The coat is the outfit. Hijab in a wool or thick jersey to match the coat or the turtleneck. For a practical winter layer that covers the length of the skirt, a long hooded softshell coat in black does the job in Canadian cold.

5. Sweater dress trick. A short sweater dress worn as a tunic over the skirt. The dress ends mid-thigh, the skirt covers the rest, and the proportions are right. Boots. Hijab in a contrasting neutral.

Spring

6. Trench and white sneakers. A classic beige trench open over a white top and the skirt, with white sneakers. Hijab in blush, sage, or sky blue. The trench and the denim are the same tone of “classic,” which is why this works.

7. Printed blouse, tucked. A floral or striped blouse with a high neck, tucked into a high-waist skirt, with a belt if the skirt has loops. Flats. Hijab picks up one colour from the print.

Summer

8. Linen shirt, untucked. A loose linen shirt in white or sand, buttoned, over the tiered Tencel skirt, with sandals. Hijab in white, cream, or chiffon in a light colour. A wide-brim hat over the hijab for sun, which is a look in its own right.

9. Kimono over a tank base. A fitted long-sleeve base in black, a long chiffon kimono in a print, and the skirt. The kimono moves, the skirt moves, and it stays cool. Hijab in black or in the kimono’s lightest colour.

Eid and occasions

10. Satin blouse and heels. A satin or silky blouse in jewel tone, high neck, tucked into a dark wash or black denim maxi, with pointed flats or a low heel and gold jewellery. Hijab in the same jewel tone or in gold-toned chiffon. Denim at Eid works when everything else is dressed up.

Which hijab colours work with denim

Denim is a neutral. Almost everything goes with it, but three families work best. Warm earth tones (rust, mustard, olive, camel) make blue denim look richer. Cream and white make it look clean. The same blue in a different shade, a navy hijab with a mid-wash skirt, is the one people forget and it looks the most put together.

Avoid matching the exact wash. A light-blue hijab with a light-wash skirt is a lot of the same blue.

On fit and modesty

Check three things. The slit, if there is one, should sit below the knee. The waist should sit where you want the top to end, since a high waist lets a shorter top stay modest. And rigid denim does not cling, so if you prefer a skirt that falls straight from the hip, pick rigid over stretch.

For the layers that make all of this work, we have a separate post on what to wear over a maxi dress, and most of it applies to a long skirt too.

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A maxi dress on its own is one outfit. A maxi dress with the right layer over it is ten. For modest dressers the layer also does a job: it covers a sleeveless dress, softens a fitted one, adds a neckline, and takes a summer dress into October. Here are nine layers that work over a maxi, with the hijab that goes with each and the one proportion rule that makes all of them look right.

The rule

The layer should end either above the hip or below the knee. Mid-thigh layers over a maxi cut you in half. Cropped or long, never in between.

1. The long cardigan

The duster-length knit cardigan is the layer most of us reach for first, and it is the right instinct. Open front, falls to the knee or below, in a neutral. A long open-front knit cardigan in camel, grey, or black goes over almost any maxi. Hijab in the cardigan colour or the dress’s lightest colour.

Best for: a fitted jersey maxi that needs softening, fall and spring.

2. The kimono

Lighter than a cardigan, longer than a shirt, and it moves. A long chiffon kimono in a print over a plain maxi is the summer version of the cardigan. Keep the dress plain if the kimono is printed, and the other way round. Hijab in a solid pulled from the print.

Best for: summer, plain black or white maxi dresses.

3. The trench coat

The most polished layer there is. A beige or black trench, belted or open, over any maxi, with the hem of the dress showing below. Hijab in a neutral. This is the layer for work, for travel, and for Eid prayer in spring.

Best for: spring and fall, a maxi that needs to look like it meant to be worn to the office.

4. The blazer

An oversized blazer, cropped or long, over a maxi turns a dress into a suit. Long blazers work by the rule above. Cropped blazers that end at the hip work too. Hijab in black, navy, or white.

Best for: a satin or silky maxi, evening, work.

5. The denim jacket

Cropped, so it ends at the waist. Over a floral or printed maxi it is the weekend outfit. Over a black maxi it is a different weekend outfit. Hijab in white, cream, or a colour from the dress.

Best for: casual, spring, summer evenings.

6. The abaya, open

An open-front abaya in a solid colour worn over a maxi dress is a layer most of us already own and forget to use this way. Black over a printed maxi, or a coloured abaya over a plain one. It covers everything a sleeveless or fitted dress leaves out. An open bat-sleeve abaya is the simplest version. Hijab in the abaya colour.

Best for: a dress that is not modest on its own, formal occasions, and the masjid.

7. The long shirt, worn open

A men’s-cut long shirt or a linen shirt dress, unbuttoned and worn open over a maxi. Sleeves rolled. The easiest layer there is. Hijab in white or the shirt colour.

Best for: summer, a jersey maxi, running errands.

8. The poncho or wrap

For cold weather, a long shawl wrap or poncho over a maxi and under a coat. It adds a layer without adding bulk at the sleeves. Hijab in a wool or thick jersey.

Best for: late fall and winter.

9. The long coat

In winter the maxi goes under a coat that is at least knee length, and the dress hem shows below. For Canadian winters, a long hooded softshell is the practical version, and a wool coat is the dressed-up one. Hijab in a warm fabric to match the coat.

Best for: winter, obviously.

A note on hats

A wide-brim hat over a hijab is a look, not a contradiction. A straw wide-brim over a chiffon hijab with a linen maxi and a kimono is the summer outfit. A felt wide-brim over a jersey hijab with a wool coat and a maxi is the winter one. Pin the hijab at the back so the hat sits flat, and let the hijab fall under the brim.

Getting the proportions right

Three checks before you leave the house. The layer ends above the hip or below the knee. The hijab matches either the layer or the dress, never a third colour. And the shoes are the same level of dressed-up as the layer: sneakers with a denim jacket, loafers with a trench, heels with a blazer.

For the skirt version of all of this, see our long jean skirt outfits, and for keeping the layers themselves looking good, how to wash modal covers most of the fabrics on this list.

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Modal hijabs are the softest thing most of us own and the first thing we ruin in the wash. The fabric that drapes so well on day one goes stiff, pills at the edges, or comes out of the dryer two inches shorter. All of that is avoidable. Here is how to wash modal so your hijabs look the way they did when you bought them, plus what modal actually is and why it behaves the way it does.

What modal is

Modal is a fibre made from beech tree pulp, spun into a fabric that is softer than cotton, drapes better, and holds colour well. It is a type of rayon, which is why it is sometimes sold as “modal viscose.” It is breathable, it does not cling, and it sits flat on the head, which is why it took over the hijab market.

The weakness is that modal is a semi-synthetic cellulose fibre, and cellulose fibres are weakest when wet. Hot water, heat, and friction all shorten its life. Treat it like something delicate and it lasts for years.

How to wash modal, step by step

1. Cold water. Thirty degrees or the cold setting. Hot water is what shrinks it.

2. Gentle cycle, or hand wash. The gentle cycle on a modern machine is fine. If you have one hijab you really care about, hand washing in the sink takes four minutes.

3. Mesh bag. A mesh laundry bag is the single most useful thing for hijab care. It stops the edges catching on zips and the fabric twisting around the drum, which is where pilling and snags come from. Two or three hijabs per bag, loosely.

4. Mild detergent, no softener. A gentle detergent for delicates or a no-rinse wool wash. Skip fabric softener entirely. It coats the fibres, kills the drape, and makes modal feel waxy after a few washes.

5. Wash with similar colours and weights. Modal with modal, or with other lightweight things. Never with towels or jeans, which rub it raw.

6. Do not wring. Press the water out between two towels, or roll it in a towel and press.

7. Flat dry or hang. Lay flat on a drying rack, or hang over a smooth rail. Modal dries fast. Do not put it in the dryer unless the label says you can, and even then use the lowest heat and take it out damp.

8. Iron on low with steam, inside out. Or hang it in the bathroom during a shower and skip the iron.

Hand washing in four minutes

Fill the sink with cool water and a capful of detergent. Push the hijab under and swish it for a minute. Let it sit for two. Drain, refill with cool water, swish again to rinse. Press out the water, roll in a towel, hang. That is the whole thing.

Why modal pills, and how to stop it

Pilling is the fibre breaking and balling up from friction. Modal pills less than cotton jersey, but it still pills at the edges where it rubs against your undercap, your collar, and your bag strap. The mesh bag handles the washing friction. For the wearing friction, a smooth undercap in a slippery fabric reduces it, and hijab magnets in place of pins stop the small holes that turn into pulls.

If a hijab has already pilled, a fabric shaver or a sweater comb takes the pills off without damaging the weave.

If you’ve already shrunk one

Soak it in lukewarm water with a tablespoon of hair conditioner for twenty minutes. The conditioner relaxes the fibres. Press out the water, lay it flat on a towel, and gently stretch it back to size, pinning the edges if you need to. Let it dry flat. It will not come back fully, but it usually comes back enough to wear.

How often to wash

Less than you think. A modal hijab worn for a day in an office does not need washing. Hang it, let it air, and wash after three or four wears unless it is sweaty or marked. Every wash is wear, and modal that is washed weekly looks tired in a year. Modal that is washed when it needs it looks fine in three.

Modal vs other hijab fabrics, for care

Chiffon takes the same cold, gentle treatment but should never go in a dryer at all. Jersey is tougher and can handle a normal cycle. Cotton voile is the easiest of all. Modal sits in the middle: not as fragile as chiffon, not as forgiving as cotton, and worth the five extra minutes.

We compared modal and cotton properly in modal fabric vs cotton for hijabs.