Aksal Nonwovens was founded in 2002 as a trading company specializing in the import of spunlace nonwovens. Its founder, Kazım Aksu, was among the first to introduce spunlace products into Turkey, supplying major wet wipes manufacturers. In the years that followed, he identified an emerging opportunity in technical textiles—specifically needlepunch nonwovens, then a niche technology offering greater flexibility without the use of water.

The company moved into manufacturing in 2014, establishing its first production facility in Hadımköy, Istanbul, with a 4.5-meter-wide needlepunch line. A second facility followed in Sanlıurfa in 2019, adding 4.5- and 3.3-meter-wide needlepunch lines. More recently, the company installed a 6.5-meter-wide-needlepunch line and added lamination, dot coating and tow cutting capabilities to expand both capacity and product range. 

Today, Aksal’s total production capacity stands at 30 tons per day across its four needlepunch lines, processing a range of synthetic and cellulosic fibers across varied weights. 

The company serves a wide range of converting industries. Its needlepunch products are widely used in the carpet industry, where they are supplied as tufting and secondary backings, as well as substrates for carpet underlay and PVC-dotted anti-slip applications. “This remains the most established and highest volume needlepunch market in Turkey, with a dense base of domestic converters,” says Eren Aksu, project manager at Aksal Nonwovens.

Artificial leather represents another key segment, with Aksal producing backing materials for applications including bags, garments, upholstery, footwear and bookbinding. Strong demand in this segment is supported by domestic and Asian-facing leather producers.

The company also participates in segments such as textiles, supplying interlinings and components for furniture and mattresses, as well as geotextiles for civil engineering and infrastructure projects. Aksal is also active in applications such as filtration media, automotive interiors, medical and hygiene products, and cleaning wipes.

Aksal is currently executing a structured outreach strategy targeting European converting companies that use needlepunch substrates, Aksu says. This approach prioritizes segments where the company’s existing capabilities align with converter requirements, including filtration, medical and hygiene and personal protective equipment. At the same time, Aksal continues to expand in self-adhesive floor protection products across Europe and North America.

Sustainability is a central part of Aksal’s positioning. At its Sanlıurfa facility, a 12,000 square meter solar panel installation generates 1.7 megawatts of energy per day, covering around 30% of the site’s energy requirements. An additional 5.7 MW solar panel field has been built in Adıyaman, enabling Aksal to produce 100% of its energy from renewable resources. 

Beyond energy, Aksal’s sustainability positioning rests on several structural advantages inherent to needlepunch technology itself: the process requires no water, no chemical binders and produces minimal waste, making it one of the more environmentally favorable nonwoven manufacturing methods compared to wetlaid or resin-bonded alternatives. “The ability to process recycled fibers—including recycled PES—is also a capability that aligns with the growing demand from European buyers for recycled-content substrates, particularly in geotextile and automotive segments,” Aksu explains.

Aksu describes the nonwovens industry as a broad and fundamentally resilient sector. “Unlike many textile categories, nonwovens are not fashion-driven—demand is underpinned by infrastructure, healthcare, filtration, automotive and construction cycles, which means the industry holds up reasonably well across economic conditions,” he says.

Within this landscape, needlepunch remains a durable and versatile technology, though increasing price competition is pushing producers toward more technically specified, application-engineered products where buyer relationships are based on performance rather than pure cost. “That is precisely the direction Aksal’s current expansion strategy is pursuing,” Aksu concludes.