WaixCold x Euphoria Market

For Christopher Ochoa, or “Tepo” as friends and family know him, creating the brand WaixCold (pronounced WASH-COLD) wasn’t about chasing trends, it was about honoring his past and building something meaningful for his community. Born to Guatemalan and Salvadoran parents, Christopher grew up deeply connected to the Hispanic community, surrounded by stories of resilience and sacrifice. That spirit lives in every stitch and print of WaixCold.

Founded in late 2023, WaixCold was meant to be more than a clothing brand. It was meant to be a cultural statement. The name itself carries that weight. “Waix” comes from the Mayan Kaqchikel word for “zero,” a nod to the Mayan civilization’s groundbreaking mathematical legacy and a symbol of starting from nothing. “Zero is everything in tech,” Christopher, who works full-time in IT, explains. “And as Latinos, we know the value of starting from nothing — immigrating, rebuilding, sacrificing.”

That personal history is at the heart of WaixCold. Christopher recalls moments growing up when his parents skipped meals to feed him and his siblings, and how selling video games or shoveling snow helped him buy sneakers that made him feel confident and seen. Fashion became a shield and an outlet. “I was self-conscious about not having much. Clothes helped me express myself and hide that reality,” he shares.

Now, WaixCold is a platform to empower first-generation youth who feel similarly unseen. “I want to be the adult I needed as a kid,” he says. His goal is to build a brand that resonates with young people from immigrant backgrounds—those navigating multiple identities, often without a clear sense of belonging.

From volunteering to gifting gently used pieces to supporting kids with soccer gear, Christopher is always looking for ways to uplift his community. He wants giving back to remain one of his main pillars. “This is for the people who have been scattered from their original homeland,” he says. “For the ones building from zero.”