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NEW WEBSITE & ONLINE SHOP
in development
OXOCOLTD
UPCYCLING
What we do...
Harvest 'Materials With Potential'
Design useful, robust, future-proof products
Manufacture products and DIY 'flat-packs'
Invent personalised projects using wot-U-got
Do site specific designs & installations
Provide ongoing product support & maintenance
Question the toxic 'Cult of Perfection' that bombards society
Embrace things [a bit] Wonky, Bonkers and Unique
Extract materials' maximum value through multiple reincarnations
Honour materials' natural ageing & patina
What we hope to achieve...
A local>global upcycling network,
helping provide life's essentials to people in need,
sharing resources, knowledge and time,
uniting streets, neighbourhoods & towns in shared projects.
FOOD ENERGY SHELTER COMMUNITY
Authentic Upcycled Originals
'The OXOCO Pledge'
By VIEWING this websitE FURTHER YOU agree TO;
- not claim others' work as YOUR own
- NOT USE OTHERS' IP COMMERCIALLY WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL
- TRY TO 'PAY THINGS FORWARD' MORE OFTEN
IF NOT, THEN PLEASE LEAVE, for now, COME BACK AFTER A THINK...
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OXOCO are planning some BIG projects but starting small;
upcycling the smallest, most mundane everyday items...
The Hanging Cans of Babylon
Drinker? be a Grower!
Turn your empty cans into gardens.
You CAN garden!
Milky Jugs
Your most common recycling?
Don't chuck 'em, convert 'em!
Propagators & Pots.
ELECTROPOTS
Got a bucket, a stick, an old pan lid, some wire..?
Grow tomatoes like Tesla [???]*
It's 'Electroculture' see, tidy!
Tramp Tunnels
Kids neglected their trampoline..?
F¬ck 'em, turn it into a polytunnel!
Reclaim your lawn.
MICROGREENMACHINES
Used furniture grow cabinets [& other containers]!
Dense, renewably powered super nutrition.
Grow anywhere, all year round, indoors & outdoors!
Our Story
Looking for Contributors & Partners
to help build the OXOCO mission and
get it into the world!
Please get in touch.
Neil: [44] [0]7967 742 596
KIT A
V.1.1 /06/25
The Hanging Cans of Babylon
KIT A: £60 - FULL KIT [4CAN], ALL PARTS READY PREPARED FOR ASSEMBLY [All 10 components - 27 items]
KIT B: £30 - DIY KIT [4CAN], SOME PARTS REQUIRE SALVAGE & MANUFACTURE [You supply & upcycle Cans,
H2O Bottle, Hangers, Raincatchers & Copper Wire. LED desk lamp is supplied whole, unbroken],
DESIGN YOUR OWN INSTALLATION - CUSTOMISE A KIT
ALL INDIVIDUAL PARTS AVAILABLE BUILD GUIDANCE PROVIDED
SITE SPECIFIC DESIGNS INTERIOR / EXTERIOR DOMESTIC / COMMERCIAL DESIGN /INSTALL /MAINTAIN
YOU CAN GARDEN!
Info /Order: Neil +[44]0 7967 742 596
GOOD VALUE
TOOLS MATCHED TO OXOCO KITS AVAILABLE
'HANGING CAN' TOOLS
FROM
£2 to
£40 FULL TOOLKIT
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MONTHLY MICROGREEN MART!
#MGM003 FOR SALE £250 Please call for details: 07967 742 596 Other unique Microgreenmachines available!
'WABI-SABI'
Reject Perfection ~ Ebrace the Wonky
Wabi-Sabi Is Not Just an Aesthetic — It Is a Philosophy of Life
Many people encounter Wabi-Sabi today as a charming Japanese aesthetic: rustic bowls, weathered wood, mossy stones, muted pottery, empty space. It often appears on Instagram feeds and design blogs as a style—something you can apply to your living room, your ceramics collection, or your photography.
But this reduces Wabi-Sabi to a surface appearance. Beneath that surface lies a far deeper insight. Wabi-Sabi is not merely an aesthetic. It is a way of seeing the world. It is a philosophy of life grounded in simplicity, humility, and compassion. And in many ways, it offers a humane alternative to the modern obsession with perfection.
Modernism’s Perfectionism and Its Human Cost
Modernity is built on ideals of flawlessness, efficiency, symmetry, and control. These values have enabled extraordinary advances in technology, architecture, and science. But there is a hidden psychological and ethical price. When perfection becomes the standard, human beings inevitably suffer. We burn out trying to meet impossible expectations. We experience shame because our flaws feel like failures. We discard what is old or worn because it no longer fits the ideal of “newness.” And we judge others by the same unforgiving standards we impose on ourselves.
In such a world, both objects and people become disposable. A society devoted to perfection inevitably becomes a society short on compassion.
The Deeper Vision of Wabi-Sabi
Wabi-Sabi begins from a simple but profound recognition: everything in life is imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Far from being a lament, this is a celebration of the way things actually are. The core intuition is deeply Buddhist: nothing stays the same, nothing lasts forever, and nothing is finished once and for all. To embrace Wabi-Sabi is to embrace reality in its true form.
An object with scratches, cracks, or patina is not defective—it is alive with history. A pot that is slightly misshapen is not flawed—it has character. A person who has aged, struggled, endured heartbreak, or weathered suffering is not diminished—they are human.
Wabi-Sabi honors the narratives embedded in things and people. It invites us to see wear, aging, and transience not as problems, but as reminders that everything is in process, everything is evolving, everything carries the traces of its journey. This is not an aesthetic preference. It is a metaphysical stance.
A Philosophy of Compassion
If modernism says, “Be perfect or you’re worthless,” Wabi-Sabi offers a counter-ethic: “You are beautiful because you are imperfect.”
This shift has profound implications for how we live. It transforms our relationship with ourselves by softening the harsh inner critic that demands flawlessness. It deepens our empathy toward others because we begin to see their imperfections as reflections of our own. And it changes how we interact with the world, encouraging us to reuse, repair, and preserve rather than discard.
In this light, Wabi-Sabi is not simply about appreciating old objects. It is about cultivating mercy—toward ourselves, toward others, and toward the world we inhabit.
Contentment in an Age of “More”
Modernity is driven by upgrade culture, endless optimization, and the idea that everything—our homes, our gadgets, even our identities—must be continuously improved. Wabi-Sabi interrupts this cycle by teaching us that “enough” is a virtue. Simplicity is richness, not deprivation. What is modest, quiet, and ordinary is worthy of attention.
This way of seeing helps counter the psychological restlessness of consumer culture. It invites us to slow down, to look more closely, to appreciate the subtle and the understated. It replaces the need to chase perfection with the ability to savor presence.
A Practice of Mindfulness
At its heart, Wabi-Sabi cultivates attentiveness. It trains the eye to notice the slightest texture, the subtlest shadow, the quiet beauty of an unadorned corner or an unpolished stone. It encourages slowness and presence. It teaches us to breathe with the rhythms of nature rather than the acceleration of technology.
In this sense, Wabi-Sabi is not only a worldview but also a spiritual discipline. It reminds us that the world reveals its depth not in the spectacular but in the humble. To appreciate Wabi-Sabi is to practice mindfulness without naming it as such.
A More Humane World
Imagine a world shaped by Wabi-Sabi principles. It would be more patient and less judgmental, more sustainable and less wasteful, more accepting and less perfectionistic. People would listen more deeply and rush less. Aging would be honored rather than feared. Objects would be repaired rather than thrown away. Simplicity would be cultivated as a form of inner wealth.
Such a world would be gentler, kinder, and more humane precisely because it recognizes the dignity of imperfection. It sees beauty not in a flawless surface but in the authenticity of a lived life.
The Paradox at the Heart of Wabi-Sabi
There is a Zen-like paradox at the core of this philosophy. Modernism’s perfection is shallow, mechanical, and sterile. Wabi-Sabi reveals a deeper kind of perfection—the perfection of authenticity, of history, of vulnerability, of transience. It is the perfection of being alive.
To embrace Wabi-Sabi is to embrace a world where nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect—and that is precisely what makes everything precious.
Closing Thought
Wabi-Sabi is not the art of imperfection; it is the art of embracing the imperfect. It is a worldview of compassion, humility, and presence. And if the world adopted even a fraction of its values, it would become a gentler place—more human, more forgiving, and more in tune with the rhythm of life.
USEFUL/ESSENTIAL MATERIALS TO HARVEST USEFUL/ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO HAVE
- Start spotting Materials With Potential ['MWP'], planning, desgning and putting them to beneficial use.
- Where to look, what to collect, recently found MWP, reviews & tips.
- Assembling tools & supplies for OXOCO projects, or for whatever life throws...be prepared, love thy tools.
Recently harvested MWP
LK 2332 12v 10w LED Adjustable Desk Lamps
MICROMARK MM30082 240v 22w 2Speed Desk Fans
My nephews visited; 'Make something or Break something?' I asked them; Being boys of a certain age, there was only one choice! So they learned to use some tools and discovered how many useful parts a washing machine has!
Windows! 20 Wooden sashes reclaimed from a West Wales museum. Top quality MWP. Looks like a greenhouse to me!
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SO MUCH STUFF!
OXOCO wants to be ready to upcycle ALL the MWP [MaterialsWithPotential] Eventually ;)- a terrific amount of stuff!
Put unwanted /surplus materials to use, where need is most
We believe most materials can be reincarnated over multiple useful liifespans; gradually 'Downcycling' through less taxing applications before ultimate recycling & disposal
Re-imagine wot-U-got and wot's around your 'hood; examine it, dismantle it, learn how it's made; create new from old, revitaliase that thing's purpose & value
Put your MWP to good use; take care & pride to nurture an extended lifespan, get added fun & worth out of even the most mundane items...
"Rem em ber rem berember remember what a womble wom ble wobmle you are"
The Wombles
Hmms.? What is OXOCO's lifespan before all upcyclables get used?
How many new things need to be produced? What virgin /non-renewable resources need to be used? How we live and the world to be? ;)
"We don't need [we don't need] no more trouble, We don't need [we don't need] no more war..."
Robert Nesta Marley
Repurposed military equipment
Less Killing... More Grilling
BBQ v1.1 [Limited 1st edition of 20]
Used NATO Ammunition boxes. Original condition outside with unique honest patinas. Reinforced & insulated stainless steel inside.
HD Steel grill. Sequoia redwood side table. Strong, robust, repairable. Uses minimal [wood/charcoal] fuel. Your bbq for 2, for life!
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OXOCO's Future...
Currently harvesting & dreaming at Mission Control
ENERGY
How can we all become more resilient and self-sufficient?
Low voltage electricity from solar, wind, water...
Passive solar heating
Wood powered hot water
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SHELTER
The OXOCO family are experienced Architects, Designers, Builders, Mechanics & Makers.
We can use wot u already got &/or trawl the universe for Materials With Potential
Inventing solutions that maximise opportunities
Anything with a roof, wall or window...!
Future-Proofing properties
to
Designing and Converting vehicles for comfortable, secure van-life
to
Emergency Shelters for the worst of times...
We're ready to help; please call to chat about your project.
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COMMUNITY
OXOCO's BACKGROUND & MISSION STATEMENT
Call it the 'Cost of Living Crisis', call it what you like....
Cymru and her communities are undergoing seismic change, the same is true all across Britain, Europe, the World.
Stimuli to change are largely political, synthetic and technocratic; causing disjunct pressures on our psyche and increasingly rapid, confusing, destabilising change in the lives of everyday people; aka The 'Great Reset'. OXOCO believes in preparing for this flux, to expect the unexpected and in building individual and collective resilience.
Call us 'Working Class', 'Middle Class', 'Upper Class', call us what you like...
'We, the vast majority, are subjected to orchestrated change which will result in us owning less and becoming less wealthy; an ongoing, accelerating transfer of wealth to the global 'Super Rich', aka 'Wealth Inequality'. [See Gary Stevenson's YouTube].
Many individuals and families, of all 'classes', are
struggling
to maintain a home, many feel alone in their struggles, isolated from their local communities and many communities feel divided. I believe at our core, we humans are divinely virtuous, empathic and alturistic; OXOCO's M.O. appeals to these characteristics and seeks to nourish these behaviours through all our activities; to promote and manifest the best potential of human nature; there's nothing we can't do.
OXOCO was concieved during the 2020 Lockdown; fearing full scale financial collapse, mass unemployment and mortgage defaults; foreseeing a situation where people were 'cash poor', 'time rich' and desparate to do something to provide for their families; a 'black swan' event that would urge critical re-appraisal, force collaboration and reset our collective psyche. The imagined worst case didn't befall us in 2020, but events did provide stark warnings of our fragility and vulnearbility, and in the years since, time for us to contemplate how we might strenghten and prepare.
OXOCO has started small but wants to grow quickly to respond to prevailing stimuli and become a major upcycling network where people can nurture their innate creativity, develop skills, trade and interact affordably and sustainably around their 'hoods; helping individuals and communities become more resilient. Starting at street level, then uniting neighbourhoods, districts, [maybe one day] national, international; at whatever scale, OXOCO wants to be a catalyst to reach out more, get out more, share knowledge, make local friends, shatter stereotypes, more egalitarian awareness & behaviour, walk the walk, pay things forwards, strenghen.
Our Ultimate Mission...
The
MOAD
"Mother of All Databases"
bringing together Ideas, Materials, Skills & PEOPLE in local 'hoodS
Active Databse / Marketplace / Forum for ALL [pre-existing] 'Materials with Potential' [an awful LOT of stuff!]
Design Catalogue of Ideas & Products to help people survive and thrive through challenging times
Upcycling solutions to providing life's essentials; food, energy & shelter [& fun]
Design submissions open to everyone; professional designers & lay people alike
Public Access / Open-Source / Community Use Pledge
Spread goodness; support your fellow human, support your 'hood - in times of need, in times of plenty...
Can you help OXOCO develop and deliver this platform?
The time is now... Please get in touch
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We believe in reincarnation...
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OXOC.OD
'OD' [Welsh] = 'ODD' [English]
I've always been easily sidetracked into explorations that don't pay the rent...
So, away from the main OXOCO highway; this is OXOC.OD
A freaky little cul-de-sac to display, barter and market my curiosities...
Anything goes... all sorts of OD!
You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one....
I hope some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one
John Lennon
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OXOC.OD
Some recent work...
Unique & limited edition handmade creations
All are for sale or barter. Some are built to order
Please call: +44 [0] 7967 742 596
MORTICED OAK
BLOCK LIGHTS
DRIFTWOOD BLOCK GARDENS
DRIFTWOOD LIGHTS
DRIFTWOOD
DIFFUSERS
Choice of essential oils
'A Pair of Jugs' Wall hanging
'Chicken or Egg' from the 'Worlds Within' range
'WISH YOU WEREN'T HERE'
sketchy surf trips...
Painted rock surf scenes
3D printed mini surf figurines
That's it for now... Much more to come
Please get in touch
Neil +44 [0] 7967 742 596
OXOCOLTD 2025
