T.J. Maxx has been forced to withdraw a T-shirt depicting a hangman's noose, amid accusations that the company is glorifying suicide and racist lynch mobs. The controversy started when a Twitter user, @PsychoGF_, tweeted a picture of the shirt - which also features the slogan, 'hang loose' - along with the message, 'It is absolutely sickening that @TJMaxx thinks it's okay to sell a shirt like this'. The store contacted the user quickly, in an attempt to limit the damage. But the picture quickly went viral, with Twitter users saying that the design 'glorifies suicide' and had 'obvious racial overtones'. Offensive: This T-shirt, produced by surfing clothing company Tavik and stocked by T.J. Maxx, caused controversy as Twitter users said it glorified suicide and lynch mobs. It was eventually withdrawn . Next, the growing Twitter storm directed itself at Tavik, the Californian surf clothing company that designed and produced the shirt. Users told the company that the shirt was 'disgusting' and 'repulsive', with one asking, 'why is this a shirt?' Before long, the shirt was pulled. Tavik's PR manager, Kelly McElroy said in a statement to The Washington Post: . 'We sincerely apologize for any offense caused by this T-shirt. '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.' T.J. Maxx declined to comment. Defiant: The controversial T-shirt continued to be sold at other online retailers, one of whom is dubbing it 'pleasingly provocative' Some users, however, complained that the issue was being blown out of proportion. One tweeted, 'you people r so sensitive, it's just a tee shirt'. Last night, another retailer,Backcountry.com, continued to stock the shirt, describing it as 'pleasingly provocative'. The shirt no longer appears on the site.
The shirt also carried the slogan, 'hang loose'
It was spotted by one Twitter user and quickly went viral . Users branded it 'repulsive' and 'disgusting'
The company quickly pulled the shirt from stores . But some Twitter users could not see what all the fuss was about .