My Journey to Sustainable Luxury: Why It Matters

For most of my life, luxury was something out of reach, it meant indulgence and we barely had enough for survival. I grew up in a fairly low-income household where affording the necessities was oftentimes a struggle. But one thing remained constant: my love for luxury and sustainability.

In fact, my mom would always blurt out I was “pobre y delicada” meaning I was both poor and delicate (mainly because I’m allergic to costume jewelry) but overall the intention behind the saying is I have expensive taste. I thought it was just because my body was being weird by rejecting cheap metals but I think even back then I knew that I wanted to live a life of luxury.

So when I got my first big girl job, I went wild. So out of control that I entered into my first foray with credit card debt. That’s a whole different story and I’ll let the financial gurus handle that topic for now. 🙂

It wasn’t just my own spending that gave me a taste of the luxurious life, as I advanced in my educational career and climbed the ladder of several organizations, I had access to things I could never afford at the time.

Soft linens, five-star hotels, designer labels—it was about the experience, the aesthetics, and, if I’m honest, the status. I loved the world of beauty and comfort, but at some point, I started asking myself: What’s the cost of this comfort?

That simple question sparked a journey—one that led me from overconsumption to intentional living, from excess to eco-conscious elegance. And what I discovered along the way is this: you don’t have to sacrifice style, comfort, or quality to live sustainably. You just have to redefine what luxury means.

From Excess to Intention – My Early Relationship with Luxury

Luxury was my love language. I craved it in textures, scents, and visuals—the cool smoothness of marble countertops, the richness of a hotel suite, the weight of a candle that burned slowly and smelled like sandalwood. I didn’t just enjoy luxury—I built an identity around it. It was how I celebrated, how I soothed myself, how I felt successful.

At first, I didn’t question any of it. Why would I? Luxury, as I knew it, was about abundance. Closets filled with pieces I wore once, or never. Always ordering in because cooking wasn’t luxurious. Travel for travel’s sake. And while I always thought of myself as someone who cared deeply about the planet, I didn’t connect the dots between the high-end world I loved and the harm it was causing.

I started to notice the waste. The packaging that piled up after a single shopping spree. The single-use plastics strewn all over my countertops from all the takeout. Slowly, the irresponsibility of my indulgent behavior became impossible to ignore.

And here’s the truth that stung a little: what I had once called luxury often came at someone else’s expense. Whether it was underpaid garment workers, rainforest destruction, or the silent impact of carbon-heavy travel, the real cost of my indulgence was being paid somewhere else—by someone else.

That realization didn’t make me want less beauty. It just made me crave better beauty. I wanted luxury that honored not only me but the world I’m part of.

That’s when I started to shift—not out of guilt, but out of desire. A desire for intention. For richness that resonated deeper. For a kind of luxury that didn’t feel hollow.

Discovering the Sustainable Side of Luxury

At first, I thought that “luxury” and “sustainability” lived in two separate worlds. The former conjured images of linen grocery bags and compost bins; the latter, shimmering marble floors and expensive fragrances. It wasn’t until I began to research where these two met that I discovered something beautiful—sustainable luxury is not an oxymoron. It’s a lifestyle.

My initiation into the sustainable luxury life did not begin with a boisterous announcement—it began with a quiet disquiet. I remember embarking on a business adventure creating high end reusable press-on nails, it was a dream to take my creativity and actually go public with it. I only hated the amount of waste I was creating simply by purchasing the things I needed. This was no way to honor my initial “why” behind this business.

The experience of my first haul stuck with me. I started taking a closer look at what I used—not just in nails but also while traveling, in fashion, beauty, and even on my home decor. I started asking questions I never used to ask:

Who made this product?

How many miles did it travel to land on my front porch?

What happens to it when I’m done?

Those questions threw open a new dimension. I learned of Japanese soft gel that’s created in small batches. I learned of high-fashion designers who employed organic materials and fair labor conditions. I started gravitating towards green living—not as a trend, but as a philosophy.

And the deeper I went, the more I realized that the sustainable luxury way of life is not sacrifice—it’s alignment. It’s surrounding your life with loveliness that also has integrity. It’s loving fewer things, well-made. Travel that travels lightly. Fashion that honors both the planet and the hands that make it.

Now, luxury is waking up in a serene eco-resort, surrounded by the natural world, and knowing that my stay supports the local community. It is lighting a candle hand-poured by a woman-run, carbon-neutral business. It’s still glamour and extravagance—but now, it’s values-driven.
This change didn’t make my life smaller—it made it bigger. Fuller. And it showed me that when you blend luxury with sustainability, you don’t lose anything. You just have a deeper kind of beauty.

The Beauty of Balancing Both

I once believed that either I’d be able to indulge in the finer things, or I’d be living in alignment with what was important to me—but not both. That false dilemma held me back, wondering where I belonged. But the more I thought about it and researched, the more it became apparent: true luxury has nothing to do with excess—it’s about intention.

Now, my definition of luxury has completely shifted. It’s not about having the most. It’s about choosing what matters—and making sure my comfort doesn’t have to be at someone else’s expense. The good news? The age of sustainable luxury is growing. Designers, artisans, hotels, and brands are showing us that style, comfort, and ethics can go hand in hand.

When I shop, I now prioritize craftsmanship and transparency. A cashmere sweater made from sustainable sources that will endure for a decade is a thousand times more valuable than a one-season fast-fashion impulse buy. When I travel, I seek out boutique hotels with a commitment to both beauty and sustainability—hotels using locally sourced products, serving local (mostly vegetarian) cuisine, and contributing to the community. That’s sustainable luxury travel: it’s not where you sleep, but how that destination values people and the planet.

Luxury is not at odds with sustainability. Instead, when they meet, they create an experience that is richer, deeper, and well worth the effort. There’s a type of beauty that comes from knowing that what you do is making a difference—without giving up comfort or style. It doesn’t have the same feel. It is different.

This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. It’s about slowing down long enough to wonder where things come from, how they are made, and if they show the future we want to contribute to.

And for me, that future is decadent, moral, and beautifully intentional.

Why It Matters (To Me—and Maybe to You)

When I first began looking for the idea of conscious luxury, I thought that I was just refining my taste. I did not even realize that I was actually reforming my values.

What started out as a desire for sustainable travel and green products has become more of an intentional commitment to living—how I shop, certainly, but how I move in the world as well. Being intentional has affected my definition of success, my relationships with other people, and how I position myself on behalf of causes that matter.

Because here’s the thing: luxury, beautiful as it is, does not exist in a vacuum. It is part of a larger system—one that has a tendency to lose sight of the cost to our world and the people who keep it turning. Climate change, unsustainable work practices, and endless pressure to want more—more stuff, more status, more speed—are all indicators of a culture that’s lost its capacity for slowing down and being kind.

Sustainable luxury reminds us back to balance. It insists: you can adore beauty and pay attention. You can indulge with a conscience. You can visit the world well and leave a light footprint. It’s not limitation—it’s stewardship. It’s about choosing what feels true, not merely what seems impressive.

For me, going through this change has made me happier, not unhappier. There’s a quiet satisfaction in knowing my favorite silk robe was made in a socially responsible manner, or that the candle burning in my living room is helping sustain a small, woman-owned business. I feel more connected, more grounded, and more like the version of myself I am working to become.

And maybe that’s why I’m writing all this down—not to tell you what to do, but to ask:

What is luxury, to you?

Is it flash and speed, or slow and spiritual? Does it reinforce your values—or dismantle them?

If you’ve ever felt that pull in your heart—the one that says there must be more—this is your call to chase it. To reimagine what luxury means when it’s not just about you, but about us.

Because when you live on purpose, even the most mundane choices can be sacred.

Want to Start Your Own Sustainable Luxury Journey?

If you care—or even just wonder—about adding more purpose and sustainability to your luxury life, know this: you don’t have to do it all at once. Small, considerate choices can completely change the luxury you experience.

Experiment with a few of the following steps to start your own journey:

Choose one daily product you use (skincare, candles, clothing) and swap it out for a sustainable, ethically produced version.

Ask “who made this?” or “what is it constructed with?” before your next luxury purchase—it’s a powerful way of connecting to the impact of your spending habits.

Monitor brands you appreciate and systematically develop a list of trustworthy standbys. 

I’d love to hear about your story—have you started questioning luxury? Are there routines or brands that you’re fixated on right now? Comment below and let’s discuss.

And if you’re ready to dive deeper, head on over to my next post:

➡️ 10 Luxury Hotels Leading the Way on Sustainability

It’s a curated selection of unforgettable stops where eco-friendly design mixes with five-star comfort.

Until then—stay luxe, stay intentional.