Bosses of online auction house eBay.com have agreed to remove listings for T-shirts printed with Kurt Cobain’s suicide note after a campaign by outraged Nirvana fans.

A petition was launched on social media calling for the garments, which feature a clear reproduction of Cobain’s entire handwritten note, to be blocked on the grounds that they are insensitive and glamourise mental illness.

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Staff at eBay and another online retailer, Etsy.com, have now pulled the items from sale before the protest even reached 200 signatures, according to NME.com.

Julian Godlnez, who organised the petition, wrote, “(The T-shirts) are a huge insult and slap to the face toward the legend Kurt Cobain himself, but as well as to all of his loved ones, his devoted fans, his legacy, and most importantly people around the world who currently suffer with mental illnesses of their own such as depression, anxiety and self image dysphoria…”

“Mental illness and suicidal behaviour is not a fashion statement, and it is not meant to be glamorised or flaunted about on a T-shirt. These shirts do nothing but encourage impressionable minds that these tendencies and behaviours are something to be displayed proudly or as some sort of cool status. Wearing this merchandise is no different than wearing a shirt with a depiction of a plane crashing into the World Trade Center.”

Cobain died from a gunshot wound to the head at his home in Seattle, Washington, in April 1994. The suicide note was found close to his body.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.