{"id":15719,"date":"2026-02-25T20:59:42","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T20:59:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/?p=15719"},"modified":"2026-03-30T20:28:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T20:28:23","slug":"kirtasiye-tutkusunu-soracak-olursan-o-gecmez","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/kirtasiye-tutkusunu-soracak-olursan-o-gecmez\/","title":{"rendered":"If You Ask About His Passion for Stationery, It\u2019s Unstoppable!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201c\u0130zel Rozental is a talented cartoonist, humorist, editor, and travel enthusiast\u2026 \u2018Humor is in my genes,\u2019 she says, explaining that she finds solace in humor and weaves it into her writing about her travels. Stationery also holds a special place in her world. She is a prominent figure in the industry with over forty years of experience. Expressing that her passion for stationery will never fade, Rozental says: \u201cStationery was part of our family culture. The unique scent of stationery permeated our home. We grew up with the scent of stationery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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A talented cartoonist, humorist, editor, and travel enthusiast\u2026 She also shares her journeys through her photographs and writing. In other words, she\u2019s also a skilled travel writer and photographer\u2026 Of course, \u0130zel Rozental is so much more than all of that\u2026 We\u2019d love to see this multifaceted individual through the eyes of Mr. \u0130zel. Could you tell us a little about yourself?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve left me nothing to say! Perhaps the term \u201ccomedian\u201d sums it all up. Cartooning is in my nature, and humor is in my genes. I\u2019ve taken great pleasure in drawing cartoons ever since I was a child. The same goes for writing\u2026 Throughout my professional career, I always responded to customer letters myself. Travel, however, was meant to be in my destiny. Is there anyone in the stationery industry who doesn\u2019t travel at least twice a year? If travel is a necessity of the job, one must look at it from its beautiful and pleasant side. That\u2019s exactly what I did\u2014I wrote about my various journeys, blending them with humor. These can\u2019t really be called travel essays; if anything, they\u2019re books of humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How would you define and interpret cartoons and humor? How does your role as a cartoonist and humorist influence your approach to understanding and living life?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d say it makes my life easier. As I said, humor is in my genes. I use it not as an end in itself, but as a tool. Whether in my personal or professional life, I\u2019ve always found solace in humor when facing various challenges. To give an example, even in the middle of a tense meeting, a well-timed and meaningful joke can instantly change the atmosphere and help everyone relax\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You\u2019ve packed so much into your life\u2026 The stationery industry is one of them. Could you tell us a little about your journey in that industry?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Actually, the stationery industry has been a very significant part of my 70-year life. It\u2019s hard to believe, but I\u2019ve dedicated over forty years of my life to stationery! I entered the workforce at a fairly young age. Between 1970 and 1980, I worked in a wide variety of industries. From advertising in Ca\u011falo\u011flu to hardware at Per\u015fembe Pazar\u0131, textiles in Ye\u015fildirek, cassettes at Manifaturac\u0131lar \u00c7ar\u015f\u0131s\u0131, and even synthetic jute sacks and embroidery in Maslak, I had the opportunity to learn the various intricacies of the business world across a colorful spectrum of industries. No matter which university you attend, you won\u2019t gain this level of experience. Stationery, however, was part of our family culture. My father, Leon Rozental, imported stationery in Tahtakale. In the 1970s, he and his partner, Daryo Kohen, also served as representatives for Mont Blanc. During the import substitution era, they both manufactured pens and produced Mont Blanc ink at a factory in Bayrampa\u015fa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The distinctive scent of the stationery store had permeated our home. During the time I was in the cassette business, I would often stop by my father\u2019s small office on the second floor of Milas Han in Uzun\u00e7ar\u015f\u0131, where I would try to sell the various stationery supplies he imported\u2014such as photocopy paper, scissors, erasers, and markers\u2014in Tahtakale. I knew all the stationery wholesalers of that era. Then, right at the beginning of 1980, I received a management offer from the Scrikss company. That\u2019s how my nearly forty-year-long journey in the stationery business began\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do you have any memories related to stationery that you just can\u2019t get out of your head\u2014memories that bring a smile to your face? Would you like to share them with us?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

There are so many that if I tried to describe them all here, the pages of Frekans wouldn\u2019t be enough! Maybe I\u2019ll write a book about them someday\u2014who knows? Let me share one of the first things that comes to mind: We launched a campaign titled \u201cThe Mysterious Customer\u201d to promote the Cross pens we represent. Under this campaign, we assigned certain individuals\u2014including famous writers and singers\u2014to visit a stationery store in their neighborhood and say they wanted to buy a gift pen. When the shop owner or clerk suggested our brand, they\u2019d receive a gift. During this campaign, I\u2019d occasionally stop by stationery stores outside Istanbul, happily playing the role of the indecisive customer who couldn\u2019t decide which pen to buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One day, I walked into a stationery store in Izmir for the same reason. There was only one customer inside, and the man\u2014let\u2019s call him Ali Bey\u2014who I assumed was the owner, was enthusiastically introducing our brand to that person. What he was saying was so wonderful that I was over the moon. I started browsing the shelves while eavesdropping on their conversation. But Ali Bey noticed me and said, \u201cSee what this gentleman wants,\u201d and sent his apprentice over to me. I had no choice but to say, \u201cI\u2019m looking for a fountain pen as a gift.\u201d The man ordered the apprentice to take down some fountain pens from the shelf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there was no Cross among the boxes the young man had brought out. Meanwhile, Mr. Ali couldn\u2019t stop raving about our brand to the other customer. So I asked the young man why he hadn\u2019t shown the brand his boss had been gushing about. The young man hesitated, not knowing what to say, and went over to his boss hesitantly. Mr. Ali glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, then apologized to his customer, darted from behind the counter in a flash, and came over to me. After grabbing my arm and dragging me all the way to the other end of the store, he whispered in my ear: \u201cBro, don\u2019t pay attention to what I said\u2014this customer is going to make a large purchase for an organization, and I\u2019m trying to get rid of the low-quality stock I have on hand. \u201cActually, the kid brought out the highest-quality fountain pens for you!\u201d It was as if boiling water had poured over my head! I said I\u2019d take a look around and left the store. Immediately afterward, in accordance with the campaign rules, I mailed a pre-printed card that read, \u201cWe visited you on such-and-such a day at such-and-such a time, but unfortunately, you didn\u2019t recommend our brand. We\u2019ll visit you again as soon as possible.\u201d About two months later, Mr. Ali was sitting across from me at his office in Istanbul. He\u2019d asked around, found out who I was, and tracked me down. He began apologizing with a laugh: \u201cBro, your visit that day was a real stroke of luck. I only had seven Cross-brand fountain pens in stock, and that customer you saw wanted exactly seven\u2014I sold them all to him! Believe me, even if I\u2019d guessed who you were, I wouldn\u2019t have risked selling them to you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You\u2019ve been in the stationery industry for many years, and we know that the friendships and bonds formed in this long-standing industry are incredibly valuable\u2026 What were your feelings when you decided to leave the industry? And could you tell us a bit about what led you to make that decision?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I mentioned earlier that during the first 10 years of my career, I worked in a variety of very different industries. I have never seen another industry where camaraderie, friendship, and solidarity\u2014yet just as much friendly yet fierce competition\u2014are as prevalent as they are in the stationery sector! I did not leave the industry. Nor did I switch to another sector. At the end of a career spanning over forty years, I felt I was getting tired and truly believed I had earned my retirement. I exercised that right. On behalf of the industry, I served in various roles as a member of the association\u2019s board of directors for a long time, and even held the presidency for a brief period. I suppose that\u2019s enough to earn me a lifetime \u201chonorary membership\u201d in the stationery industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Have you ever lost touch with stationery?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

How could I ever let go? During my time as president, we came up with a slogan: \u201cStationery Is Life.\u201d Is there really a single moment in a person\u2019s life\u2014from birth to death\u2014where stationery isn\u2019t present? Of course, I\u2019m not talking about the concept of \u201cstationery as a business.\u201d Whoever coined that term was wrong! Unfortunately, the term has taken root in our language\u2026 As for my passion for stationery, that\u2019s here to stay! As I said, it\u2019s part of my family culture; we grew up surrounded by the scent of stationery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So what are you up to these days? Do you have any projects you\u2019re planning to launch soon? Or what\u2019s on your agenda for the future?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Like all my peers during the pandemic, I was stuck at home, of course. But interestingly, it feels like I\u2019m working even more than before! There are so many topics to write and draw about, and countless books waiting to be read. In between, there are online panels, talks, and conferences\u2026 I host a weekly cartoon show on A\u00e7\u0131k Radyo, but the preparations take up quite a bit of my time. Starting January 17, four of us will begin hosting a weekly program together on Instagram. Aside from that, I manage an art center. Although our talk and concert programs have been disrupted a bit due to Covid-19, we\u2019re trying to keep the exhibitions going. It turns out you can live without traveling after all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally, what would you like to say to those who are continuing their professional careers in the stationery industry? What advice would you give them?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I live in Kad\u0131k\u00f6y. It breaks my heart to see the stationery stores in my neighborhood gradually turning into cafes and bars. Unfortunately, this isn\u2019t just a problem in my neighborhood\u2014it\u2019s happening everywhere! Back then, the Association launched a campaign titled \u201cStationery Belongs in a Stationery Store.\u201d We had continued this campaign as a crucial project aimed at highlighting the unique characteristics and differences of stationery stores and our retail merchants, as well as enhancing their credibility. Unfortunately, this \u201cK\u201d Project\u2014which had received government support at the time\u2014was shelved due to certain obstacles, both from within and outside the industry. Yet the project\u2019s primary goal was to boost public trust in stationery retailers and raise awareness. I hope that, before it\u2019s too late, this or a similar project is brought to life. On the other hand, the only thing I can say to those continuing their professional careers in the stationery sector is: recognize the value of the industry you belong to\u2014there\u2019s nothing better!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u0130zel ROZENTAL\u200b<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“\u0130zel Rozental, iyi bir karikat\u00fcrist, mizah\u00e7\u0131, edit\u00f6r, seyahat tutkunu\u2026 \u201cMizah genlerimde mevcut\u201d diyor, mizahla \u015fifa buldu\u011funu, yolculuklar\u0131n\u0131 mizahla harmanlayarak kaleme ald\u0131\u011f\u0131n\u0131 aktar\u0131yor. K\u0131rtasiyenin de onun d\u00fcnyas\u0131nda ayr\u0131 bir yeri var. K\u0131rk y\u0131ldan fazla zamand\u0131r sekt\u00f6rde yer alan \u00f6nemli bir isim. K\u0131rtasiye tutkusunun ge\u00e7meyece\u011fini dile getiren Rozental, \u015f\u00f6yle s\u00f6yl\u00fcyor: \u201cK\u0131rtasiye aile k\u00fclt\u00fcr\u00fcm\u00fczde vard\u0131. K\u0131rtasiyenin kendine has…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15720,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"video","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-video","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dergiden-haberler","post_format-video"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15719"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16334,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15719\/revisions\/16334"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15720"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15719"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15719"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tukid.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}