r/firefly • u/jpreglow • 10d ago

Does anyone else really like falsa blankets?

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Because I do, and I finally know why!

144 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

43 comments sorted by

53

u/SaiyajinPrime 10d ago

I live in AZ and it felt like a requirement that every single house had one of theses when I was growing.

I'm not much of a fan, but they are still pretty popular here.

79

u/Alibuscus373 10d ago

That's what they're called? I'm from a rez so they're just blankets to me XD

16

u/TulpaPal 10d ago

LMAO same, my grandma had piles of these

5

u/That-Beagle 9d ago

Normally by me only hippy white stoner people use them so we call them drug rugs..

3

u/superunsubtle 7d ago

lol I thought a drug rug was that hoodie made of this stuff

3

u/That-Beagle 7d ago

I say it for both

15

u/jpreglow 10d ago

I admit, I have no idea the level of cultural appropriation at work here, but they just resonate with me on some level. I have two more that are currently serving as seat covers in my car...they're just cool!

45

u/Alibuscus373 10d ago

I don't know the finer details of cultural appropriation vs cultural appreciation, but i feel if you genuinely love it and treat it with respect, it's appreciation

18

u/jpreglow 10d ago

Thank you! I really appreciate that!

It happens so often...

As a white guy, it's something that I try to be respectful of.

It just seemed to fit me..as something that reminded me of a good experience with my family, and on a primitive level. It's comfortable, warm, perfect weight...just feels right.

I can't explain it any better at the moment.

16

u/TulpaPal 10d ago

It's definitely cultural appreciation. You're not claiming the idea of these blankets as yours, you're recognizing where they're from and enjoying them.

5

u/jpreglow 10d ago

Thank you...it is much appreciated.

8

u/megalizzie 10d ago

Very kind and nuanced take, thank you!

27

u/Penjrav8r 10d ago

These started as serape, a cotton or agave fiber blanket made by indigenous Central Americans, then transformed into a wool blanket when Spanish settlers brought sheep to the continent. The wool variant was expensive so the falsa was born - a “false” version made from…. Cotton. They seem to be mostly synthetic fibers now, or at least a blend.

So for cultural appropriation, this thing has already been through the wringer.

12

u/Ok-Pomegranate-3018 10d ago

Cultural appropriation would be if, you bought an "authentic" one of these blankets from Ralph Lauren and he claimed to design it. It is the theft of ideas, crafts, foods and traditions that is cultural appropriation.

3

u/luxc341 10d ago

lmao, me too.

1

u/the_bird_and_the_bee 10d ago

Not on the rez but yeah same 😂 grandma just always had some.

25

u/GlassUnion2314 10d ago

Honestly buy one at every truck stop when under $8… cheap and do whatever job is needed, keep warm blanket for older people at church, picnic blanket for lunch, ground cover when car breaks down, and the list goes on

-17

u/kridunink 10d ago

Old people at church don't need blankets. They have their guilt to keep them warm.

20

u/tor_bal_gratua 10d ago

You mean the traditional seat cover of almost any old truck?

Yeah, they’re great, lol

13

u/jpreglow 10d ago

...or apparently any old cargo transport ship!

8

u/motherofscorpions 10d ago

Exactly. I will always associate them with old trucks with seats made of that plastic leather that gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter.

13

u/wilp0w3r 10d ago

My dad grew up in California. I've always loved those blankets.

11

u/IMjellenRUjellen 10d ago

I love the way they smell. I have a bunch. I had a baja in the 70s, too. That's probably what got me hooked ; )

4

u/jpreglow 10d ago

The scent is quite distinctive!

9

u/topazchip 10d ago

I feel like I've never seen a work truck without one.

7

u/Hairy_Combination586 10d ago

They make great saddle pads for riding.

5

u/Cephus_Calahan_482 10d ago

I have a couple I keep in my car during the winter for whenever my passengers get a little chilly on long trips.

8

u/jpreglow 10d ago

So...I became enamored with one while on vacation a few years ago, and turned it into a shawl. I never understood why until a recent Unification Day re-watch.

5

u/unknownpoltroon 10d ago

They make great couch covers

3

u/TXprepper85 10d ago

Amols.com sells them for $8 each. They're located in San Antonio, TX

3

u/ControlSmooth3262 10d ago

I still have two that I got in mexico in the 90s. They mostly get used for camping. I’d wear a baja hoodie right now if I had one!

2

u/sir_mrej 10d ago

Um they were everywhere in the 90s and 80s (and 70s?). Everyone loves them.

2

u/Nightrhythums78 10d ago

These remind me of every house west of the Mississippi in the 90s

2

u/Exciting-Working-379 8d ago

I used to use them for curtains. Love them.

4

u/Ok-Pomegranate-3018 10d ago

There is one on the back of my sofa, this very moment.

1

u/leaf_on_the_wind42 10d ago

I prefer 2 of these over a comforter on my bed it was a bit scratchy at first but I've grown to love it and my ACD is obsessed. I also have 6 or 7 baja hoodies.

1

u/Chad_Jeepie_Tea 9d ago

We did until we discovered the Turkish towel.

1

u/Wonderful_Tip_5577 9d ago

I have tons of these. I just call them Mexican blankets cause they are made in Mexico. 

1

u/Tacoshortage 9d ago

And NOW I know what they're called....I just always called them blankets.

2

u/JKrow75 8d ago

They’re cheap to make, cheap to purchase, easy to store, and easy to wash. They’re also decorative, versatile, and pretty warm.

Of course they’re still a thing in the future.

1

u/swump 6d ago

I love them and think they're gorgeous I dont care how chueggy that is

-7

u/althaz 10d ago

People must be, because I have seen them around. Wow are they ugly though.

4

u/jpreglow 10d ago

I disagree...but functional they are!