In today’s nonwoven industry, three critical vectors are redefining competitive margins: process sustainability, fiber fineness reduction, and plastic-free transitions. Driven by tightening environmental regulations in Europe and shifting consumer preferences globally, legacy high-volume lines are increasingly transitioning toward eco-responsible architectures. Today’s premium hygiene and technical textile markets belong to manufacturers who can deliver exceptional product softness and mechanical efficiency while significantly minimizing their environmental footprint.
At the International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITM 2026) in Istanbul, Behnam Ghasemi, Editor-in-Chief of Kohan Textile Journal, met with Mr. Akın Özdemir, Sales Responsible for Trützschler Nonwoven in Türkiye. In this exclusive Q&A interview, Mr. Özdemir details the engineering behind their high-precision ATB lines, their strategic partnership in needle punching, and the shifting industry demands toward polyester-free and biodegradable nonwoven substrates.
Kohan Textile Journal: Welcome, Mr. Özdemir. To begin, could you share a brief overview of your background and your journey with Trützschler?
Mr. Akın Özdemir: I am Akın Özdemir, and I manage sales for Trützschler Nonwoven here in Türkiye. My journey with the company actually began on the technical service side. For years, our team supported customers directly in the field with machinery installation, assembly, dismantling, and technical maintenance. Moving from technical operations into the sales division allowed me to build deeply consultative, close relationships with our manufacturing clients. Trützschler Nonwoven has an immense customer base in Türkiye, and we maintain a dedicated 7/24 support ecosystem to stand by them constantly.
Kohan Textile Journal: What specific technological breakthroughs and machinery innovations is Trützschler Nonwoven highlighting at ITM 2026?
Mr. Akın Özdemir: We are showcasing several vital innovations tailored for both the local and global markets. A major highlight is our advanced ATB (Air-through Bonding) line technology, which is capable of processing ultra-fine fibers down to 0.4 denier. Within these specialized lines, factories can seamlessly manufacture premium components for baby diapers. Operating at these micro-denier levels allows brands to achieve premium product results characterized by superior softness and enhanced structural sustainability.
In our Needle Punch division, we are actively promoting our strong technological partnership with the German machinery builder Texnology. This alliance enables us to act as a complete solution provider for high-performance needle punching installations.
Furthermore, our TCC (Trützschler Card Clothing) division provides an unmatched localized advantage. We maintain fully stocked service and distribution hubs in Çorlu, Uşak, and Gaziantep, housing extensive spare parts and card wire inventories. This local infrastructure allows us to deploy instant solutions and field service to regional mills, keeping Trützschler a definitive step ahead of the competition.
Read More: Innovative Companies of the Textile Industry Took Their Place at ITM 2026
Kohan Textile Journal: Environmental standards are tightening drastically across Europe. How do you foresee these sustainability trends shaping the Turkish nonwoven sector?
Mr. Akın Özdemir: The Turkish market is facing a profound shift, heavily driven by the upcoming demand from Europe and neighboring regions for polyester-free products. Moving forward, nonwoven substrates manufactured in Türkiye must increasingly transition toward biodegradable and flushable raw materials.
Trützschler is uniquely positioned to act as a direct technology partner and consultant for mills navigating this material transition. We don’t just supply standard hardware; we provide complete raw material consultancy and optimized machine configurations to process sustainable natural fibers safely at commercial speeds.
We believe the long-term outlook for the Turkish nonwoven sector remains incredibly bright. We must acknowledge that the current global landscape—marked by regional conflicts and macroeconomic strain—presents real financial limitations for manufacturers looking to invest in new capital projects. However, as a family-owned, stable partner, Trützschler always stands firmly beside its clients during tough economic cycles. We welcome all producers to our stand here in Istanbul to discuss how we can cooperatively build highly adaptable, future-proof production lines.
