Complaints About New Cotton On Kids Range

Outrage sparked over a new range of Cotton On Kids clothing that advertises R-rated movies and heavy metal musicians known for using explicit lyrics towards young children.

The Cotton On Kids new ‘licensed range’ includes jackets with Snoop Dog, The Beastie Boys and Nirvana – all musicians who release music with ‘explicit lyrics warnings’.

The range has left some parents confused why many items were plastered with imagery from music and movies not meant for children’s ears.

Mother Amy Patterson told Yahoo News Australia that she thinks the clothes are “tacky” and the brand was trying to cash in on the music and film taste of parents, adding that “the clothing seemed to be more for the adult’s entertainment and nostalgia”.

“I think it’s a bit premature to be dressing young kids in clothes that are associated with a movie that includes violence and gangs,” she said.

Sarah Middlemiss, a mother to a four-year-old daughter, agreed children were too young to be introduced to the type of music on the clothing items and said it would make kids curious to seek out the R-rated content.

“Kids are so impressionable at these ages, it would make it seem like the topics they rap about are OK in their immature minds,” she told Yahoo News Australia.

beastie boys

“I feel it would encourage kids to want to listen to their music, opening the door to their explicit lyrics,” she added.

Ms Patterson also said she was concerned about the association with drugs.

“Snoop Dog is known for his love of marijuana and I’m not a fan of that association,” she added.

A spokesperson for Cotton On Kids told Yahoo News that while they acknowledge that the artists on the clothing are not for children, they were hoping the designs would “hold a nostalgic memory in the minds of their parent’s generation when rap and hip hop became a huge musical movement during the 90s”.

Cotton On Kids said they were hoping the products would “spark nostalgia in anyone who grew up during that era,” adding that they “didn’t mean to offend.”

Do you think it is an inappropriate range for kids?

Share your comments below

39 Comments

- - mom493260 said
  - 21 Apr 2023
    9:03 pm
Today I entered Body store in chadstone where my daughter said “what’s that mum”. Upon closer inspection it was a range of vibrators being sold by young girls to anyone including children who wish to buy. Cotton on you may have groomed kids and parents to this point with previous on edge wear but you knew the end plan. There are no words to describe this amount of manipulation and filth. Leave our children alone.

- - meedee said
  - 11 Apr 2023
    8:27 am
The best way to protest is to just not purchase these things. Once they find that they are not selling they will rethink their products.

- - mom467094 said
  - 23 Jun 2020
    5:48 pm
Kids Store Today, an Online Shopping Store for Babies, Kids, and Maternity products. Buy newborn essentials, cribs, toys, clothes, shoes, etc. We are your true one stop. If you are interested please Visit: https://www.kidsstoretoday.com/

- - mom207052 said
  - 15 Sep 2019
    4:01 pm
Classic case of each to their own.. if you don’t like it, don’t buy it!

- - curlytops said
  - 09 Jun 2019
    2:40 pm
if you don’t like it don’t buy it and that will send the message loud and clear!

- - mom101628 said
  - 31 May 2019
    2:33 pm
I wouldn’t want my kids to be advertising these bands on themselves, but it is just my opinion. That said, I wouldn’t buy them, so problem solved.

- - Jen2019 said
  - 29 May 2019
    10:03 am
Most likely these would be bought by parents who love the bands, and the kids will be probably be not interested in their parents’ old music. That being said, I think it’s kind of silly to worry about encouraging kids to listen to stuff like the Ramones and the Beastie Boys. It’s already accessible on the radio, streaming online etc. if they do want to listen to it, and nothing drastic came of the people who are adults now listening to it in their youth. Every generation seems to disapprove of whatever music the young people are into and yet the world keeps on turning.

- - mom206279 said
  - 27 May 2019
    6:59 pm
My issue is more anyone wearing clothes for bands they’ve never heard of.

- - mom19782016 said
  - 21 May 2019
    12:44 pm
Yeah, it’s a hard no from me for that very reason!

- - becstalou said
  - 21 May 2019
    10:55 am
I wouldn’t buy them but there are worse things on the market.

- - MisChip said
  - 16 May 2019
    10:11 pm
I think this is totally wrong. I realise the kids would have no idea who they are – so therefore don’t bother selling them at all.

- - alrevedup said
  - 16 May 2019
    8:39 pm
If you don’t like it don’t buy it.
I would let my child decide if they like it, and if they do, that doesn’t mean they know the actor or the band and their movies and songs. My daughter has had a Nirvana shirt since she was 7 but has no idea who they are and wasn’t interested when I tried to tell her.
Get over it

- - ashna9 said
  - 16 May 2019
    6:43 pm
Why didn’t they just make these for adults?

- - tessie said
  - 16 May 2019
    2:34 pm
I’d never willingly buy these for my kids. More an adult item than a child’s.

- - Carly said
  - 16 May 2019
    11:44 am
OMG!!! I hope they don’t get sold

- - ella12 said
  - 16 May 2019
    11:24 am
Certainly not a very wise decision, whoever thought that one up.

- - mom81879 said
  - 16 May 2019
    10:29 am
As long as the explicit lyrics or movie lines aren’t on the clothes, I don’t see an issue. I don’t usually shop at CottonOn, I guess if other parents have an issue with the clothes, just don’t buy them or don’t shop at KidsCottonOn. Seems pretty simple to me.

- - rovermum said
  - 16 May 2019
    9:12 am
Ummmm, no. Just too weird. I appreciate they’re now selling the range in their Cotton On stores but just weird that they’re also in Cotton On Kids stores. I can’t imagine who would buy them.

- - sars_angelchik said
  - 16 May 2019
    8:58 am
just why? The designs are ugly anyway. Kids wouldn’t even know who these people are! Probably overpriced too!

- - Ellen said
  - 16 May 2019
    8:01 am
I agree with what others say; when you don’t like it you don’t buy it.
And yes, personally I don’t like buying clothes with aggressive texts or pop stars for my kids or myself and hub.