Brazil’s National Association of Cotton Exporters (ANEA) celebrated its 25th anniversary in August 2025, a milestone that mirrors Brazil’s transformation from a regional cotton player to the world’s leading cotton exporter. ANEA was founded in 2000 to coordinate and represent exporters and merchandisers, and over the past 25 years the association has championed quality standards, traceability and market access for Brazilian cotton.
Brazil’s rise has altered global cotton flows and buying patterns. Improved farm practices, ginning and grading infrastructure, plus exporter coordination through bodies such as ANEA, helped Brazil scale volumes while preserving quality, a shift that has had knock-on effects for mills, spinners and trading houses worldwide.
Key achievements of ANEA:
• Institutionalising exporter collaboration and professionalising international sales and logistics.
• Supporting traceability and quality programs that make Brazilian bales attractive to sustainability-conscious textile buyers.
ANEA’s next phase emphasises deeper integration with traceability platforms, sustainability credentials (including Responsible Brazilian Cotton and third-party programs) and closer dialogue with global buyers to secure long-term contracts. For textile buyers and Asian mills that increasingly source Brazilian cotton, ANEA’s role as a facilitator and quality guarantor will remain central.