THE MINDS BEHIND LOADING BAG

İlker Karagöz

Founder & Social Entrepreneur

Following 16 years of corporate procurement and employee engagement management at Turkcell, İlker studied NGO Management (Civil Society Development) at Bilgi University. He built his international market expertise by directing sales and growth strategies for Dakine-Shop.de—one of Germany's leading bag and accessory platforms—successfully coordinating its acquisition by a major US enterprise.

Trained in social innovation at the Social Entrepreneurship Akademie (SEA) in Munich, İlker serves on the boards of Germany-based 12MIN.ME e.V. and Deutschzentrum München e.V., as well as Turkey's Alternative Life Association (AYDER). He champions industrial waste upcycling as a premium, global fashion experience.

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Melda Akan

Co-Founder & International Market & Corporate Sales Consultant

Melda beautifully blends academic research with international commercial acumen. Alongside pursuing her PhD in Washington, D.C., she shares her extensive international corporate sales experience gained during her career at Turkish Airlines.

Melda actively guides Loading Bag's global expansion, managing international B2B corporate partnerships and scaling our global e-commerce and export networks to position our sustainable design on the world stage.

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Gani Çetin

Raw Material Sourcing & Circular Logistics

A well-known name in the corporate world for corporate loyalty programs and corporate gifting, Gani serves as a registered supplier and director at Etkin Tanıtım.

Utilizing his extensive logistics network, he seamlessly manages the raw material supply chain of our upcycling loop. Gani coordinates the sourcing and transport of the diverse end-of-life materials required for our production—ranging from heavy-duty truck tarps and giant street billboards to automotive insulation rests—paving the way for our zero-waste setup.

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Gizem Eroğlu

Lead Designer

Bringing a rich artistic background in crafting custom accessories for high-fashion runway shows (including bags, belts, and eyewear) and designing detailed period costumes for major film and television sets, Gizem is the creative force behind Loading Bag.

As Co-Founder and Lead Designer, she masterfully evaluates discarded industrial remnants—from retired truck tarps and event tents to complex automotive textiles—curating their unique colors, textures, and vintage fades. Through her vision, she transforms these rugged remnants into highly functional, durable, and completely "one-of-a-kind" everyday companions.

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Okan Kuzer

Production Consultant & Social Impact Director

Okan is a visionary designer and the founder of Sirk Store, where he and his team prepare world-class circus costumes and materials distributed globally.

As our Lead Production Consultant, Okan integrates social responsibility directly into our manufacturing pipeline. By utilizing his dedicated workshop and providing expert operational consultancy, he actively empowers, trains, and employs individuals from marginalized or disadvantaged groups (including women's cooperatives, refugees, and individuals with disabilities), turning the stitching of Loading Bag into a powerful engine for social inclusion.