With Greenland continually in the news due to President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. take some level of control over the country, small business owners there have been dealing with how that is playing out.
Friday’s scaled-back visit by U.S. Vice President JD Vance — a first by a U.S. vice president — and his wife Usha has only turned up the spotlight on the semiautonomous Greenland. The second couple’s travel plans changed from a multiday stay with a few stops on the island to a one-day visit to the U.S. Pituffik Space Base. Part of that stemmed from not having a formal invitation from Greenland or Denmark and criticism from officials in both countries.
To brace against the 18-degree temperature, the vice president arrived at the U.S. military base in an army green hooded jacket with black jeans and a black zip-front pullover while his wife wore an army green fur-trimmed hooded anorak with black pants and a camel-colored cable-knit sweater.
Mountain peaks appear through the clouds on March 27, 2025 in Nuuk, Greenland.
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With 56,865 residents, Greenland is not exactly a fashion mecca but local brands have used fashion to push back against Trump’s threats even as they impact business. Morten Nordahl, chief executive officer of Nønne nuuk, Greenland largest e-commerce site, said sales are down 25 percent compared to last year. People are saving their money because they are afraid of the future, he said.
In Greenland, some people are wearing T-shirts imprinted with “Not for Sale,” hats with “Make America Go Away” and other pro-Greenland items to show their solidarity for the country, Nordahl said. “The aggression of Trump is making the people scared. On social media, people only write about this.”
The country’s main shopping mall, the Nuuk Center, is the leading area where people shop and hang around in the cafés, according to Nordahl. It’s also where people are discussing the territorial situation, since the Greenland government has offices in the building upstairs.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Usha Vance have lunch with soldiers at the U.S. military’s Pituffik Space Base on March 28 in Pituffik, Greenland.
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While there isn’t a specific garment tied to this cultural moment, many Greenlanders are using the hashtag #greenlandisnotforsale on social media, and it was chanted by hundreds at a large demonstration in Nuuk earlier this month, according to the fashion designer Nickie Isaksen. “People across the community, from private individuals to businesses, are united in this message. Some companies are creating merchandise like T-shirts and caps with the slogan,” she said, adding that such nationalism is ingrained in her brand’s DNA since it was started in 2002.
Nonne Nuuk
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Her company’s logo is black, red and white, with black representing the spiritual world, white symbolizing ancestral bones, and red signifying the blood of life. Red is also the color of the Greenlandic flag and it has strong ties to the country’s ancestral heritage in shamanism and spirituality, Isaksen said.
“I’ve used my designs to share Greenlandic culture, traditions and heritage with the world. My focus has always been on sustainability, natural materials, and showcasing the strength of our people and our story,” she said.
Despite the pushback toward the U.S., Isaksen’s business is constant. “We haven’t seen any drastic shifts in how people shop. In fact, the support we receive from tourists, locals and friends around the world has been incredibly encouraging,” she said.
Others declined to comment, including representatives from the fashion label Bibi Chemnitz and the retailer Great Greenland.
