Welcome to Week 19 of my #Gauteng52 challenge, for which I will visit and blog about a new place in Gauteng Province every week for 52 straight weeks. This week I visit Aranda Textile Mills, home of the Basotho blanket.
Basotho blankets are not made in Lesotho, the tiny country for which the blankets are named. Originally produced in England, these woollen symbols of Basotho culture are now produced at Aranda, a factory/showroom in the South African town of Randfontein on Johannesburg’s West Rand.
I’ve been wanting to visit Aranda since I learned about it in 2013 from the Basotho blanket ladies of Clarens. (Read more about Basotho blankets and the blanket ladies here and here.) I finally got my chance a few weeks ago.
The Basotho blanket sales room at Aranda.
Aranda’s extraordinary story started several generations ago with the Magnis, an Italian textile-making family in Tuscany. The Magnis’ factory was destroyed by the Germans during World War II, and a South African colonel convinced the family to move their operation to South Africa after the war ended. After several decades of producing a range of blankets and shawls at their mill in Randfontein, the Magnis added Basotho blankets to their repertoire in the 1990s.
Basotho blankets have an extraordinary history of their own. I’ve touched upon it in my previous posts, but the Aranda website includes many details that I wasn’t aware of before. I can’t retell the story as well as they already have so please read it there.
This incredible painting, featuring a man in Lesotho wearing the signature “NZ” blanket, hangs in Aranda’s front office. Read more about it here.
Visiting Aranda Textile Mills
My friend Marie-Lais and I showed up at Aranda without an appointment, which turned out to be a mistake. We only had a few minutes to speak to Marketing and Sales Director Tom Kritzinger, who was on his way to another meeting, and it would have been nice to speak with him longer as Tom has an encyclopedic knowledge of Basotho blankets. It also would have been great to tour the factory but we didn’t think to arrange that ahead of time. But Tom did give us permission to take pictures in the sales room so we headed back there to explore.
Ray and I already own two Basotho blankets and there was no need whatsoever to for me to buy another. But damn, did I have to hold myself back. I love these blankets. I managed to leave empty-handed but just barely.
Blankets of all colors.
Blankets blankets blankets.
Even more than the blankets themselves, I loved watching people shop for Basotho blankets. People come to Aranda from all over South Africa and Lesotho to buy blankets, either for themselves or to resell to others in their hometowns. (Basotho blankets, which range in price from a couple of hundred rand to around a thousand rand depending on the quality, sell for quite a bit less at Aranda than they do at smaller shops in South Africa and Lesotho.)
A woman checks out different blankets in the Aranda sales room.
I don’t envy the decisions they had to make.
Security guards outside the sales room help customers to wrap up their purchases, then the customers hop onto minibus taxis to head back to wherever they came from.
A man tries on a Basotho blanket at Aranda.
Winter is coming to Joburg, and I promise there is nothing better than a Basotho blanket for keeping warm in a freezing-cold house. Get yourself to Aranda before it’s too late.
Aranda Textile Mills are at the corner of Wol and Desert Streets, Randfontein. Call +27-11-693-3721 for more information.
Read all of my #Gauteng52 posts and check out the interactive #Gauteng52 map.
I must get there even though I don’t really need another blanket.
Hahahaha, I hear you.
How much is the bulk price
Hahaha, I hear you.
Your self-restraint is admirable. They are gorgeous.
Why, thank you. I’m sure I’ll buy another one soon anyway.
Love the designs of these blankets. Thank you for the great post! R
My pleasure.
Sitting in my office and reading your blog post wrapped around with my own limited edition Lesotho blanket which was made for celebrating Lesotho’s 50 years of independence (1966-2016). I agree with you, nothing like a warm wool blanket in a cold Johannesburg house.
Haha, I’m glad you agree! This is the weather for it.
Hi please drop me a location
The blankets are beautiful and such vibrant colours! Liz
I know, right? Best blankets in the world.
Hi! Recently discovered your blog and I love reading about your adventures. You have peaked my interest in these beautiful blankets. Can anyone purchase blankets from the mill or do you need to make an appointment first?
Thanks Heather. Yes, anyone can go and no appointment necessary.
I would like to order a blanket. Is there a website? What is the pricing for the blankets in USD!
Hi Lillian, unfortunately Aranda doesn’t ship to the US currently. I’ve had lots of people asking me lately! Sorry I can’t help.
The prices of your blankets please
After reading this last year, I went and bought four- we love them! And I was happily surprised when I was watching Black Panther last night- these exact blankets are featured heavily in the last half of the movie! It was cool to see them and know what they were and where they came from.
Awesome! So glad you like them. I was also so excited to see them in Black Panther.
How much is bulk of black blankerts.
Price plz
May I have Basotho blanket textiles? I would like to design t shirts.
What a compelling story of tradition and craftsmanship! It’s fascinating to learn that Basotho blankets, so integral to Lesotho’s cultural identity, have their roots in Italy and are now produced in South Africa. The journey of the Magnis family and their textile legacy adds a rich historical layer to these blankets. Your visit to Aranda Textile Mills, despite the impromptu nature, sounds like a wonderful experience. The vibrant sales room and the passion people have for these blankets truly come alive through your description. The history and detailed craftsmanship behind each blanket make them more than just functional items; they are pieces of art and heritage. I also recently came across a website, http://www.moetlo.co.za, which beautifully celebrates the Basotho blanket. Your post has certainly inspired me to appreciate these blankets even more deeply. Thank you for sharing this journey!