Well gear doesnt really have to be streamlined since you can usually just skip tiers when leveling, this certainly works below 50 but also above.
As to expensive material cost, well if you want to make any profit you really do need to gather your own materials, there is no escaping that

-scrip being a symbol of oppression
well Hyomin here the OP is right, being forced to buy at the company shop where you work because you are paid in scrips often at inflated prices sort of binds you to that company because if you wanted to leave you will most likely have no savings at all.
This often was combined to workers living in a company provided house so leaving the company also meant no home