Vincent Katleho Makhate | 25th October 2025
At sunrise in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, shepherds stand wrapped in thick, patterned wool blankets that ripple in the wind like royal cloaks. At various celebrations and processions across the nation, such as at weddings, funerals, and national holidays, the Basotho blanket is proudly displayed as the heartbeat of identity. Its deep colours and motifs tell stories of heritage, kingship, and unity.
Yet, behind this cultural pride lies an unsettling reality, that though the Basotho blanket is rooted entirely in Lesotho’s culture, it is not produced by Basotho. Instead, the manufacturer, Aranda Textile Mills, based in Randfontein, South Africa controls production, branding, and profits. For every photograph, fashion show, or tourism poster celebrating Basotho culture, Aranda gains international visibility, while Basotho communities see little to no economic return.
The paradox is painful: Basotho wear their culture, but someone else reaps the benefit.
Prime Minister Sam Matekane and Delegation draped in blankets at the 80th UN General Assembly
The Origins of a Cultural Icon
The Basotho blanket has a royal story. In the 1860s, King Moshoeshoe I, the founder of the Basotho nation, received a wool blanket as a gift from a British trader. Enchanted by its warmth and practicality, he began wearing it in place of the traditional animal-skin kaross. The people soon followed, weaving this new garment into the heart of their culture.
Over generations, the blanket evolved into a tapestry of identity. Each design carries meaning:
The Seana-Marena, meaning “to swear by the chiefs /kings,” symbolises royalty and honour.
The Poone (maize cob) represents fertility and abundance.
The Kharetsa, named after the spiral aloe found in Lesotho’s highlands, stands for endurance and resilience.
These blankets became more than clothing but also living emblems of nationhood, social status, and spirituality. For Basotho, a blanket is worn not just for warmth, but for belonging.
The Aranda Monopoly
Today, nearly all heritage Basotho blankets are woven by Aranda Textile Mills, a family-run South African company established in 1953. Aranda holds the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell “authentic” Basotho blankets, including the revered Seana Marena and Victoria England lines. Aranda proudly markets its products as “heritage blankets”, symbols of African identity. Its website states that the company has “the blessing of the Basotho royal family.” But that blessing has not translated into ownership or profit-sharing for the Basotho people. Production, employment, and distribution remain entirely in South Africa. Lesotho, the nation that gave the world this cultural treasure, is largely excluded from the value chain.
As a result, every time a Basotho blanket is worn on an international stage such as at the 80th United Nation’s General Assembly in September 2025 by the Lesotho Prime Minister and his delegation, as well as by fashion designers, musicians, or tourists, it becomes free advertising for Aranda, not for Basotho entrepreneurs or local textile producers.
A Moment of Pride and pain
In September 2025, at the UN General Assembly, PM and his delegation proudly draped themselves in the nation’s iconic heritage blankets. Images of these dignitaries quickly circulated on social media, drawing admiration from across the world. Yet back home, the reaction among Basotho was bittersweet. Though it was a symbol of pride, many users on Facebook expressed frustration and some lamented that the very blankets showcasing Basotho’s identity are not produced locally but by a textile factory in the neighbouring country, while Basotho themselves gain no tangible benefit.
Cultural ownership without economic empowerment is hollow. Lesotho’s situation highlights a deeper issue: the commodification of indigenous identity.
Production Without Participation
While the designs and symbols are deeply Basotho, no major production takes place in Lesotho. The wool is sourced, woven, and finished in South Africa. Lesotho imports the finished blankets back for domestic sale, often at high cost. This eliminates local job creation, skill development, and manufacturing revenue.
Branding Without Benefit
Aranda has trademarked several Basotho blanket names and patterns. The Seana Marena, for instance, is a registered product under Aranda’s brand portfolio. This means Basotho weavers or small companies cannot legally reproduce their own heritage patterns without infringing on Aranda’s intellectual property rights. The very cultural symbols that define the Basotho nation are protected by South African corporate law, not by Basotho sovereignty.
Cultural Visibility Without Economic Justice
Basotho are often seen proudly wearing their blankets at international events—from diplomatic summits to global festivals. But each photo that circulates online, each fashion feature or tourist brochure, amplifies Aranda’s commercial visibility, not Lesotho’s local economy. Culture has become advertisement.
Why This Matters: From Identity to Inequality
Lesotho is one of Africa’s most culturally distinct nations, and one of its smallest economies. In a country where textiles once offered a path to industrial growth, the blanket production could have been a flagship for cultural entrepreneurship and heritage-based development. Instead, it has become a lesson in how cultural pride can exist alongside economic dependency. When cultural symbols are controlled by external corporations, identity becomes commercial property. The Basotho blanket, once a symbol of unity and sovereignty, now unintentionally reinforces Lesotho’s economic marginalisation.
The Way Forward: Reclaiming What Belongs to Basotho
Media for Democracy believes that heritage must empower, not exploit. The Basotho blanket issue calls for media advocacy, policy intervention, and grassroots mobilisation to ensure that Basotho reclaim both the narrative and the profits tied to their culture.
Establish Local Manufacturing Partnerships
Lesotho has a vibrant textile sector with skilled workers and access to raw materials like wool. The government and private investors could establish partnerships with or alternatives to Aranda, enabling local production, job creation, and export potential. Even partial local production (such as weaving, finishing, or packaging) would help retain more value within Lesotho.
A national Basotho Blanket Heritage Trust could be formed to oversee blanket licensing, ensure royalties are paid to Basotho communities, and protect designs from external exploitation. This body could fund cultural preservation, artist training, and rural development programs.
Protect Cultural Intellectual Property
Lesotho’s lawmakers should pursue Geographical Indication (GI) status for Basotho blankets — similar to how Champagne or Darjeeling Tea are protected. This would legally define Basotho blankets as originating from Lesotho, preventing unauthorized foreign control.
Independent designers in Lesotho are already blending traditional motifs with modern fashion. Initiatives like the Young Basotho Designers Collection should receive greater support through grants, media visibility, and export facilitation. Empowering these creative voices could gradually shift ownership from corporate monopoly to community innovation.
Educate Consumers and Tourists
Consumers, especially within Southern Africa, should be made aware of where their “Basotho blankets” come from, and who benefits from their purchase. Ethical branding campaigns can encourage buyers to support Basotho-made alternatives when available. This is where Media for Democracy plays a vital role. Journalism can expose the inequities behind cultural symbols. Documentaries, features, and social media campaigns can challenge the narrative that “authentic” always means “foreign-produced.”
Both the Government of Lesotho (GoL) and corporations should reimagine ownership models rooted in fairness and dignity. Lesotho’s culture should not be reduced to a corporate trademark. It deserves recognition as an economic driver that can empower rural families, sustain artisans, and fund education; all while preserving heritage.
Wrapping Ourselves in What’s Ours
The Basotho blanket remains one of Africa’s most striking symbols of identity — a fabric of warmth, pride, and resilience. But it is also a reminder that cultural pride without economic justice is incomplete. As long as Basotho continue to wear blankets made elsewhere, their culture will keep enriching others more than themselves. The time has come for Lesotho to reclaim its own weave, thread by thread, loom by loom, law by law. Let the next generation of Basotho not only wear their culture but own it.
Vincent Katleho Makhate is a media researcher based in Mumbai, originally from Lesotho in Southern Africa. His work focuses on religion, media, and social justice, with a keen interest in how faith communities engage with issues of caste and equality in India.
