Hat Store Apologizes For Anti-Vaxx Star of David Patch as Companies Pull Their Business
After receiving immense backlash online, a hat store in Tennessee is apologizing for advertising a yellow patch reading “Not Vaccinated,” in a design reminiscent of the yellow Stars of David that Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany.
The Nashville-based hatWRKS, which is owned by Gigi Gaskins, issued a first-person mea culpa Saturday on its Instagram account. It read in part, “my intent was not to exploit or make a profit,” but rather “to share my genuine concern & fear.”
The statement was issued over a weekend during which brands announced they were pulling their business from the company. On Saturday, Stetson tweeted that it was ending its relationship with hatWRKS.
As a result of the offensive content and opinions shared by HatWRKS in Nashville, Stetson and our distribution partners will cease the sale of all Stetson products. We thank you for your continued support and patience.
— John B. Stetson (@StetsonUSA) May 29, 2021
Goorin Bros, another hat-maker, announced on Instagram it was also ending distribution of its products to hatWRKS.
Due to the recent offensive content shared by Hatwrks in Nashville, Goorin Bros. has ended their distribution with this business effective immediately. Thank you for the continued support.
Goorin Bros is horrified by the display and selling of the Jewish badge by HatWRKS, a store in Nashville Tennessee, that sells some of our hats. The Jewish badge was a key element used by Nazis beginning in 1939 who planned to persecute and eventually murder millions of Jews. They used the badge to humiliate, segregate, and control the movement of all Jews over seven years old.
To make a mockery of the Holocaust in any form is unacceptable and completely insensitive. We are looking at all options to fix and address this unfortunate circumstance. – Ben Goorin
Kangol Headwear also announced it’s done with the company, saying, “While we respect freedom of speech, respect for humanity must hold a higher place.”
The offensive marketing blunder came on the heels of the latest controversy surrounding Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who equated Covid-19 vaccination requirements to the Holocaust.
In an Instagram post subsequent to its apology, hatWRKS’ said it was “a target of the mob.”
