KISBU was founded in 1978 by Nedim Kisbu at the Mercan Sales Branch. The company name is his last name, which means "to work and earn through effort, to work and gain, elbow grease" in Ottoman Turkish. In its first years the company dealt mainly in polypropylene and polyester thread and ropes, and it later added artificial leather to its products. In its 10th year it opened a branch in Bayrampaşa, Istanbul, where it stored its products, and it later decided to open a second sales branch.
The second branch opened in 1993. In 1997 KISBU introduced Nonwoven Spunbond fabric to the Turkish market and became a pioneer in the sector. In 2002 it opened a 4,000 m² production facility in Beylikdüzü.