Who we are?

The CENTRO ALGODONERO NACIONAL (CAN), name of our association since 1938, began life over 110 years ago in 1903 in Barcelona, Spain, when a group of 38 cotton brokers and merchants founded the CENTRO ALGODONERO DE BARCELONA to promote and defend the interests of professionals in the cotton sector.

They created a set of rules to help regulate the purchase and sale of raw cotton. These have changed with time, but their aim remains the same – to lay down a safe trading environment for all concerned.

Our head office is in the same address, Via Laietana, 32, 3rd/Barcelona, since 1935, but the registered office of the Association was moved to Madrid in 1955.

CAN is an not-for-profit association, made up of all elements involved in the trade of cotton and its sub products.

We regulate all commercial cotton transactions concluded under the umbrella of the CONTRATO BARCELONA as defined by our By-laws and Rules, which contemplate the possibility of arbitration.

We wholly support the concept of sanctity of contracts and good trading practice.

We cooperate with State Agencies, Autonomous Regions and The European Union in all matters related to the supply chain of cotton.
We maintain a tight link with other foreign Cotton Associations. We are members and take an active part in CICCA (Committee for International Cooperation between Cotton Associations) together with 17 other International Cotton Associations.

With our fully equipped laboratory we provide extensive raw cotton testing possibilities to the whole chain, from farmer to spinner. To maintain our high standards we participate in following international laboratory test controls:
CSITC (ICAC – International Cotton Advisory Committee -Task Force On Commercial Standardization of Instrument Testing of Cotton)
ICA Bremen Cotton Round Trials
USDA International HVI Level Assessment Program.