Entrepreneur in Bursa exports carpet edging to 40 countries

Zuhal Kaplan, a female entrepreneur based in İnegöl, Bursa, has expanded her specialized carpet edging business to export products to 40 countries, including the United States, India, Ghana, Paraguay, Mongolia, and Colombia.

After receiving sewing training nine years ago, Kaplan began her business in a 20-square-meter room, performing a process known in the industry as ‘carpet makeup’—applying fabric, leather, or binding to edges for decoration and durability. With support from İŞKUR, she has grown her operation into an atelier that employs 14 women.

Kaplan noted that while she initially worked on carpets imported from Belgium, she has transitioned to working with locally produced carpets from Gaziantep to reduce costs and time. She expressed her goal to continue employing more women and emphasized the importance of patience and perseverance for aspiring entrepreneurs.