How do you swim covered? Pool rules and fabric

What counts as swim fabric?

Swim fabric is a stretchy synthetic knit made for water: it withstands chlorine and salt water and doesn’t soak up water the way cotton does, so it stays light and dries fast. A good burkini is made entirely of it, hood included.

What pools usually ask for

Rules differ between public pools, hotels and clubs, but most agree on a few points:

• Dedicated swimwear — no street clothes and no cotton.
• A shower before you get in.
• Sometimes a swim cap or tied-back hair.
• In France, for example, many municipal pools refuse the burkini on hygiene grounds, as they refuse long swim shorts for men — so always check first.

Burkinis in Moroccan pools and hotels

In Morocco, the rules differ from one pool to another and from one hotel to another. Some hotels refused burkinis at their pools, according to press reports from August 2014 (a hotel in El Jadida, hotels in Marrakech); hygiene was the reason given, and it was widely disputed at the time. Those reports are from 2014 and we have not found a recent confirmation, so rules may have changed, and other places may accept swimwear made of swim fabric.

So ask before you book, ideally in writing (email or message), and keep the answer:

• Is a full-length burkini in swim fabric accepted at the pool? Is the rule the same for every pool at the hotel?
• Is a swim cap or a particular kind of head covering required?
• Are there women-only sessions, or a private or indoor pool?

Choosing a burkini for the pool and the sea

• A relaxed cut that doesn’t cling when you get out.
• Fabric that stays opaque when wet.
• A built-in or well-secured hood that doesn’t slip as you swim.
• A size that frees your arms without being so loose it fills with water.

Before and after the swim

• Before: shower, then fit the hood snugly.
• After: rinse the burkini in cold fresh water to remove chlorine or salt.
• Don’t wring it; dry it in the shade, away from direct sun.

Options for more comfort

Some pools and clubs run women-only sessions, and some hotels and guesthouses have private pools. Religious questions about swimming venues are discussed by scholars; what concerns clothing is covered in our article on the conditions of modest dress.