T.J. Maxx Put On Blast For Selling ‘Hang Loose’ Noose Design Shirt
T.J. Maxx is currently under fire for a newly released design. The retailer is receiving flak for what some are calling downright racist.
According to E!, T.J. Maxx has decided to pull a t-shirt that features a noose with the phrase “Hang Loose.” Not only is this being called racist for the lynching reference, but some say this design also promotes suicide.
The shirt was posted at a retailer store in Florida by a disgruntled Twitter user.
It is absolutely sickening that @tjmaxx thinks it’s okay to sell a shirt like this. pic.twitter.com/woCRDuEqpe
— psycho girlfriend (@PsychoGF_) March 17, 2015
Soon after, a flurry of tweets followed about the tacky design.
@PsychoGF_ we should sue that company and TJ Maxx what the hell is that!
— Daniela Kardashian (@misss__danielaa) March 17, 2015
Photo: unite4humanity: TJ Maxx pulled this racist trash off of their shelves, but look at BackCountry’s… http://t.co/dMOMZ5eed5
— feministingforchange (@femforchange) March 17, 2015
@PsychoGF_ not at all. Im very offended and everyone should feel this way. Who designs this crap?
— Daniela Kardashian (@misss__danielaa) March 17, 2015
@illiam_william @PsychoGF_ @tjmaxx the company describes it as ‘pleasantly provocative’ http://t.co/eKgMNZtVzs
— Jelly (@Guesswhozbizac) March 17, 2015
@PsychoGF_ @tjmaxx @moeshamitchel considering the customers are blatantly racist I’m not surprised..
— HottiBiscotti-AuLait (@Kat_LynD) March 17, 2015
After realizing the lapse in judgement, T.J. Maxx’s California headquarters gave a statement to the Washington Post about the controversy around the shirt.
“We sincerely apologize for any offense caused by this T-shirt,” Tavik’s PR manager, Kelly McElroy, said.
“This item was released without going through proper protocols and has zero relation to anything other than surfing. We will be pulling this item from retailers immediately.”
Although T.J. Maxx promises to pull the t-shirt from their retailers, the shirt is still available on Backcountry.com. On the website it’s described as “pleasantly provocative.”
The description is as follows.
“Sure to spark conversation, the Tavik Men’s Hang Loose T-Shirt draws attention with its edgy double-entendre graphic.”
This isn’t the only example of offensive clothes that have been pulled from the stores after outcry on social networking sites like Twitter and Instagram. Urban Outfitters has been a repeating offender.
Their latest example that the Inquisitr reported on was back in September. The retail store sparked an enormous amount of controversy when they released their bloodied Kent State shirt, which seemed to make light of the 1970 shooting that took place on the campus.
After receiving backlash, the site released a statement and said the blood stains were due to “natural fading and sun exposure.”
What’s your opinion on the Hang Loose shirt?
[Image via Twitter]
