The white, long-sleeve T-shirt was retailing for $60.

The title: “Bat Fried Rice.”

It featured a small red image of chopsticks with bat wings on the front, and a larger design of a Chinese rice box with bat wings and the words “No Thank You” written on it on the back. “No Thank You” also appeared on the right sleeve.

Soon after Trevor Fleming, an art director for Lululemon Athletica, posted a link to the T-shirt in the bio section of his personal Instagram account, waves of online condemnation followed, and he was fired by the Canadian athletic apparel company. By a Reuters count, more than 1,000 comments were left on Lululemon’s official Instagram account criticizing the company for Mr. Fleming’s post.

“Should I burn all my lululemon now?,” one asked. “As a brand, you should be well aware of the people you hire because they in fact represent your organization,” read another.

In replies to the comments, the company was quick to say the T-shirt was not one of its products.

“We apologize that an employee was affiliated with promoting an offensive T-shirt, and we take this very seriously,” it said. “The image and the post were inappropriate and inexcusable. We acted immediately, and the person involved is no longer an employee of Lululemon.”