Aranda Textile Mills: Celebrating their Platinum Jubilee and Future Opportunities

The history

In the year 2023, Aranda Textile Mills celebrated 70 years in business. This notable milestone brought about a sense of reflection on the past and anticipation of what the future holds. Looking back to the early 1950s, South Africa saw the opening of what would become one of the country’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of blankets, shawls and throws. Proprietors, the Magni family, had been active in the manufacture of textiles since the 1890’s, from their factory in Prato, Italy, before relocating to South Africa after World War II.

Over the years, many developmental milestones and growth has taken place at Aranda. Today, the company is a fully-fledged vertical manufacturing plant and prides itself in offering a selection of the highest quality blankets, shawls and throws, ranging from classic to contemporary designs in an array of colours.

The portfolio

The Aranda product portfolio is diverse. It includes domestic, institutional, relief, church and traditional wearing blankets. They also manufacture a wide variety of shawls across many designs, colours and qualities, as well as a stunning range of contemporary décor throws and scatter cushions. The portfolio also includes in-house brands such as the Basotho Heritage Blankets, Haven & Earth, My Africa, as well as the Aranda Hotel Signature Collection.

Basotho Heritage Blankets have a deep cultural significance and history amongst Basotho people. They distinguish this nation from others by the way in which the blankets are worn as part of their everyday lives. Haven & Earth is a range of stylish and beautifully coordinated homeware. A new collection is launched every year, based on the latest global design and colour trends. The range is curated in such a way that the items can be mixed and matched to create layers of quiet luxury.

My Africa is a selection of bold and distinctive blankets and throws inspired by the many unique and diverse cultures and traditions found on the African continent. It celebrates the people who reside throughout these lands, who are bonded together through their deep- rooted heritage and African pride. Aranda also has the capability of

manufacturing bespoke blankets and throws for chain stores and corporate companies. This capability has awarded Aranda the opportunity to manufacture products for many well-known companies, such as Woolworths, @ Home, Superbalist, Volpes and Pep, to name a few.

The future

From the development and success of the Basotho Heritage Blankets brand, the Young Basotho Designers Collection was initiated. This initiative is aimed at empowering young designers of Basotho origin, by providing a platform for them to showcase their designs and tell Basotho stories through the medium of the blanket. The inaugural biennial collection was launched in 2022 and the second instalment earlier this year.

Similarly, as part of the My Africa brand, the Designer Collection aims to provide a platform for creatives to bring forth African-inspired cultural designs. By supporting Aranda, you are not only embracing quality but contributing to a responsible and proudly South African company. The future of Aranda is ensured by honouring the past while embracing the future.

Simphiwe Mtetwa
Simphiwe Mtetwa is South Africa’s leading Corporate Social Responsibility news, media and publishing firm. We create content on social responsibility, helping government, corporates, consultants, NPOs and NGOs to reach their target markets through appropriate, targeted development news.

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