For more than 70 years, Aranda Textile Mills has been weaving more than just blankets. According to Palesa Tladi, integrated marketing manager at Aranda Textile Mills, the company’s greatest achievement is not only producing quality blankets but also creating sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of South Africans while continuing to invest in local manufacturing despite mounting economic pressures.
Founded in 1953, Aranda has grown into one of South Africa’s best-known blanket manufacturers by continuously adapting to changing consumer needs.
Tladi told Sunday World that the company has evolved from a traditional push-to-market manufacturing model to a more customer-driven approach that responds directly to market demand.
“We have become more agile and customer-centric while remaining committed to producing quality blankets locally,” she said.
Sustaining local jobs
Today, Aranda employs more than 500 people across its manufacturing facility in Randfontein and its spinning plant in Isithebe.
Tladi said every blanket purchased contributes directly to sustaining local jobs, strengthening South African supply chains and supporting the country’s economy.
One of the company’s most inspiring success stories is that of Nelson Ramahlalerwa, who joined Aranda in 1981 after leaving Sekhukhune in Limpopo in search of work.
Starting in an entry-level position, Ramahlalerwa worked his way up through the company while completing further studies in Production Management with Aranda’s support. He eventually became head of winding and yarn store and later also served as safety officer.
After 44 years of dedicated service, he retired in 2025 and returned to Limpopo to begin farming near Tzaneen.
Investing in employees
Tladi said his journey demonstrates what can be achieved when businesses invest in their employees through continuous learning and career development.
She said Aranda offers supervisory training, coaching and mentoring programmes, as well as educational assistance and bursaries to help employees develop skills and build long-term careers.
Beyond manufacturing, Tladi said the company remains committed to community upliftment through employment, skills development and corporate social investment initiatives.
Partnership with Proudly South African
As part of its Mandela Month campaign, Aranda partnered with Proudly South African to encourage customers to purchase relief blankets. For every relief blanket sold, the company donated another blanket to vulnerable communities.
Tladi said beneficiary organisations are selected through a fair process that prioritises registered non-profit organisations with strong governance and a proven record of delivering measurable impact.
She added that partnerships with NGOs, schools and community organisations play a vital role in ensuring support reaches communities where it is needed most.
Commitment to local production
Despite the challenges facing South Africa’s manufacturing sector, Tladi said Aranda remains committed to local production because investing in manufacturing also means investing in people.
“Every investment we make is ultimately an investment in jobs, preserving specialist textile expertise and the future of local manufacturing,” she said.
Sustainability has also become a major priority for the business. Tladi said Aranda has installed 1.5 megawatts of solar generation capacity to reduce its reliance on the national grid while almost all waste fibre generated during production is reused or recycled into other products such as felt and insulation materials.
Looking ahead, Tladi said the company’s ambition is to continue expanding its manufacturing capabilities, protect existing jobs and create new employment opportunities over the next five years.
“Ultimately, we want Aranda’s legacy to be measured not only by the blankets we produce, but by the positive impact we have on the lives of our employees, their families and the communities that have grown alongside us for nearly seven decades,” she said.
- For more than 70 years, Aranda Textile Mills has been weaving more than just blankets.
- According to Palesa Tladi, integrated marketing manager at Aranda Textile Mills, the company’s greatest achievement is not only producing quality blankets but also creating sustainable livelihoods for hundreds of South Africans while continuing to invest in local manufacturing despite mounting economic pressures.
- Founded in 1953, Aranda has grown into one of South Africa’s best-known blanket manufacturers by continuously adapting to changing consumer needs.
- Tladi told Sunday World that the company has evolved from a traditional push-to-market manufacturing model to a more customer-driven approach that responds directly to market demand.
- “We have become more agile and customer-centric while remaining committed to producing quality blankets locally,” she said.
