I walk, bike, or ride underground to my urban yoga studio twice a week. For far too long, I've crammed my mat, block, comfy clothes, water, and towel (essential for my heated class) into assorted sad sacks before schlepping from home to office to sweaty flow class and back. I've used a second-hand backpack (wouldn't zip shut), a scratchy woven mochila (borrowed and too small), and a vintage plaid overnight bag acquired for a tag sale premium of $3 (which was force-fed my 24"-wide mat and nearly tore apart). I've longed for a modern fit-it-all yoga bag, one with which I could arrive to class calm and quite literally collected.

I comparison-shopped, and found a bag or two good enough to own. Then out of the blue, a "yoga bling" debate sprung up on LIME, testing my will to buy. Had I fallen prey to pushers of an illusory, but apparently profitable, yoga lifestyle? For what little I claim to know about yoga, I do know that its function in my life trumps any attendant fashions. So be it with the bag I desired.

My endeavors paid off-eventually. Skinny sleeves that promised to "protect" my mat (from sun? rain? a high pollen count?) didn't survive the first cut. With no room for clothes or a towel, they seemed useless. I also scratched off the list another whole category-I wanted no golden threadwork suitable for framing, no lotus flowers or elephants embroidered upon silk. Not to belittle hand-sewn sacred symbols, but sari sacks just aren't my cup of chai. And the yoga's just as good without them.

I sought refuge in sustainable fabrics with the organic cotton drawstring bag from Shuba. At 9" by 28", it's plenty wide and long. Lengthwise zippers would be an improvement upon the drawstring, but who's quibbling, and what's not to like about organic cotton? Shuba changes fabrics frequently, but most patterns right now are floral-perfectly lovely, but not my cup of jasmine tea either-so I moved on.

The dashing Ruth Abela organic cotton yoga bag looked dreamy, gender-neutral, and sleek, like an elongated Dopp kit with tidy internal compartments, including one long one for a mat. In demure navy blue, with a small attaché style handle as well as a long shoulder strap, it's mastered the commute from office to studio. The longest version (the range is 25" to 33") would easily fit both mat and block with room for more. Shipping via air from a U.K. site, however, would cancel any benefit from going organic, and besides, have you seen how weak the dollar is? And this bag was no bargain in British pounds either.

The compact 'mat sleeve' messenger bag from Crescent Moon also enticed. Made from durable but non-sustainable ballistic nylon, at least it should have a long life before it reaches the landfill. The satiny brown seatbelt-like shoulder strap felt strong, although it tended to twist at the buckle. For a bag this small, just 13" x 16" x 4", it's surprisingly capacious, even fitting a bulky 8" block. It accomplished this snug feat by holding the mat outside the bag in a stretchy mesh sleeve that, when not used, tucks away behind a zipper. The sleeve's netting could inspire more confidence (alternately, the bag could simply be made wider to accept the mat), but the whole thing felt comfortable strapped across my chest, and I didn't side-swipe fellow train passengers. Wallet-like inner slots readily accepted my 20-class swipe card. The weight on one shoulder might unstraighten my spine, but for a bag this size, it carried its own weight and then some.

Barefoot Yoga offered a mix-and-match bag program: choose a fabric, size, and drawstring vs. duffel style. Sustainable hemp was back-ordered, so I went with a cotton canvas, XL, black duffel. It arrived with a calligraphic "om" stitched in white, a spiritual tattoo I could take or leave, but I accepted compliments on it with a smile. This bag's true nature is simplicity, exactly what I'd sought: a long zipper that yawns open for wide loads, a full 31 ½" x 9 ½" to explore and fill, an inner pouch for keys, and a wide adjustable shoulder strap. Fill, zip, schlep. I couldn't be happier. If this be yoga bling, bring it on.

Barefoot Yoga X-Large duffel bags

Cost: $35-$40

Where to Buy: BarefootYoga.com - Cotton Canvas or Hemp

Crescent Moon 'Mat Sleeve" Messenger

Cost: $79.99

Where to Buy: Amazon.com

Shuba organic cotton drawstring bag

Cost: $45

Where to Buy: Ayurlight.com

Ruth Abela organic cotton yoga bag

Cost: $80-$99

Where to Buy: Yoga-ez.com

Bonus Tip: If you buy from the U.K. but don't live there, you can buy carbon offsets for your shipping from such groups as Terra Pass.