YELDOKU is a brand created by F. Yelda Kundak Gezicioğlu in 2008 for the production of 

handwovens.

Gezicioğlu graduated from the Faculty of  Fine Arts, Marmara University. Her  master’s  thesis covers the textile business in Icel. The studies on  turning this thesis into a book are still in progress.    After a 10 year employment for private sector in textile design, she has started to work as a lecturer in the Dept. of  Textile Design in the Faculty of  Fine Arts, Çukurova University and she has been carrying out this duty for four years.

Setting out with Gezicioğlu’s own designs, colours and design experiences,

the brand Yeldoku is offered to the customers in and outside the country with the decorative and elegant products known as “yaygı” in public prepared in different sizes on the handwoven benches in the most rigorous manner.

Target of  the “Yeldoku” Brand;

I have always considered that the revival of  the traditional wovens and motives in the minds of  every generation for hundreds of  years like human beings and transfer of  their symbols to our day, the modern times is amazing. It is believed that the memory of  man is defective with forgetfulness and that one comes into this world by being washed in the lake of  forgetfulness (River Lehte). Despite such weakness like forgetfullness, there has always been traditional cultures which man does never want to forget. The word tradition is etymologically derived from the word “traditio” in Latin and means “to hand” . In other words, it is the transmittal of  something, but something to be preserved, from one generation to the next and traditions are within people. The word culture derives from “Cultura” in Latin and means “turning green”.  One of  the cultures of  public linked with tradition is handicraft, and particularly weaving within handicraft. If one makes an inquiry into the motives and symbols that have been used for years traditionally, one realizes that their significance is undeniable as they protect what is precious and appeal to people’s spirits. Seeing the motives like pomegranate, corn and wheat grains on a carpet which we step every day keeps the soul away from worries and such a soothed soul performs more efficiently. Symbols represent an idea without exposing itself. For instance, banknotes are the symbol of  purchase power in our day. The banknotes  have in reality no value other than the price of the paper and it looks there isn’t anything precious left  today about the money that may be transferred to the next generations other than the values it  represents. It can easily be seen  that the values elaborating man’s soul degrade  and become dirty like a river which becomes polluted as it gets away from its source in case the precious things are not transferred,  pushed forward,  expanded or turned green as in the root of  the word “culture” , in the time filter. Having adopted these thoughts in the guidance of  my educational background in the same field,  I set out with “yeldoku” to carry forward the traditional aspects to the next generations without restricting it but by extending it with the designs which are a product of  my thoughts and soul. I am working with real craftsmen who have been knitting their own wovens for almost generations with the traditional methods. I wanted to create a modern version  and offer it for daily use through the protection of  local motives and particular forms of  woven . I also wanted that we see the precious thoughts of our ancestors who call us every day through a  table cloth and make us feel the existence of  a soul reflecting our ideals.  It is Yeldoku’s ideal.