La Algodonera Market Lab now has seven years of history and thirty editions. This event, which is repeated at different times of the year but always reunites with Christmas, will be held again next weekend, December 17 and 18, at the facilities of the Cotton House Hotel in Barcelona.
On this occasion, the stars of the market will be Eric Ortuño's panettones, which have just received the award for the best chocolate panettone in Spain, and the flowers of Lebanese artist Soraya Hatem, from the Wild Willow floristry studio. Attendees will be able to enjoy the sweets from the famous pastry chef and his L'Atelier team, and a floral exhibition dedicated to Christmas.
La Algodonera Market Lab has a slow consumption philosophy. A proposal that seeks for the customer to know the product and its history before buying it. The market features independent brands that work in permanent contact with raw materials. Visitors will be able to enjoy a wide and varied offer, ranging from fashion brands such as Mar Lomon or La Marin, to cosmetic brands such as Gotes essentials or Lux Organics.
Mostly independent producers and entrepreneurs who have put all their passion into their creations will also present jewelry, ceramics, and accessories at the market. The organizer of La Algodonera Market Lab, Maite Felices, highlights that after thirty editions "we have learned not to be so demanding in the selection regarding design because many brands do not have the image corresponding to the level of the great stories and ways of creating that are behind them."
Solidarity actions and musical performances
At La Algodonera Market Lab there is also space for solidarity actions. Every year the organization chooses a foundation to participate, and this year the selected one is Mary's Meals. Its objective is to combat child hunger in the world through schools. Attendees can make a five-euro contribution and will receive a solidarity mug full of Christmas broth that they can taste in situ.
During the two days of the market, musical performances will also be enjoyed. The promoters are once again committed to youth, art, and culture in Barcelona. The Raval choir Musicals' Choir will hold a concert on Sunday, the 18th. The group, composed of 55 young people between 11 and 26 years old, performs again at the hotel for the first time since the pandemic. According to the organization, this project, by uniting music and art, generates a family and self-improvement space for young people from Ciutat Vella and Raval.
According to Maite Felices, "the idea is for citizens to enjoy this historic building and forget that it is a hotel." For the first time in this edition, and exceptionally, the Damasco Suite will be opened so that visitors can admire the ceiling frescoes.
Along with all these attractions, La Algodonera Market Lab will feature the traditional Santa Claus who will collect letters along with the pages of the Three Wise Men. In addition, a wishing tree will be installed where attendees can leave their best thoughts. The building of the Cotton House Hotel dates back more than half a century. This building, located on Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, was the Fundación Textil Algodonera, where Barcelona's Cotton Week was held, a very influential event in the textile industry that welcomed Miss Algodón, a model who paraded with the latest designs. Remembering that moment and using the idea of those parades, La Algodonera Market Lab aims to reclaim the importance of classics, raw materials, and market awareness.