An way to link it to class (and $1000 coffee setups) is to mention the weavers of Mosi ramie fabric in Korea, who traditionally do not own any items made from Mosi because there's no way that they could afford them. The fabric was/is reserved exclusively for the wealthy and the royal.

https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/weaving-of-mosi-fine-ramie-in-t...

edit: one of the phases of weaving the fabric involves softening the fibers with their saliva. Saw it on a Korean reality show.

In English we have, “The cobbler’s children go barefoot.”