There's much to be said for getting back to basics, whether you're a camper, climber or world-traveler. In this age of tech-fabrics, composite buckles and carbon fiber reinforcements, sometimes it's nice to make a statement of simplicity. My ballistic rolling suitcase is a wheeled wonder of high-tech, but I recently added an accessory that proclaims to my bathroom "I can get away from it all anytime I want."

OK, so it's only a travel kit (toiletry bag) by TerraPax, but hopefully you see my point. Just a few simple pieces of hemp, linen, webbing and some leather sewn together comprise my latest traveling companion. But hey, if it wears out the brochure says I can compost it. Take that nylon!

Made with a hemp outer shell and lined with linen, the Travel Kit features two internal pockets to keep toiletries and other contents organized. And that's it. A simple, breathable and all-natural bag. Even in the most sterile hotel room in Zurich, you can bring a little piece of nature with you when you brush your teeth, and I think there's something poetic in that.

All TerraPax bags are made from hemp fiber. A clean, sustainable plant, hemp does not require the use of pesticides and fertilizers to flourish. It is, as the manufacturer says, "The strongest fiber nature has to offer: durable, weather resistant, and uncomplicated by modern advances."

TerraPax linings and webbing are custom made from linen that is grown and woven in France. Unlike nylon or polyester, their linen, or flax, has been used for thousands of years and is a sustainable resource when properly farmed.

But the environmentally conscious folks at California-based TerraPax aren't finished yet. Their leather is tanned using Oregon Douglas Fir and Hemlock bark; not chromes and heavy metals found in commercial tanneries. And for their bigger bags, American Elk and European Stag antler tips that have been shed are used as closures. "The antler tips function as closures that replace the plastic buckles of most bags," says their literature. "All other fittings are solid brass. This avoids electroplating, which is commonly used to make a decorative finish on metal, but generates hazardous sludge as a by-product."

We don't usually go on about a company's philosophy, but TerraPax really seems to mean it. "It's a sad irony that most packs and bags are made with petrochemicals," says their PR rep. "We scoured the world for the materials and methods that support the communities from which they are developed and provide clean, sustainable work. A TerraPax bag reduces waste, minimizes our dependence on petrochemicals, and is to industry what "no-trace" hiking is to nature."

If you're getting the idea that these folks are serious about efficient and natural production, you're right. They produce approximately ten different bags; from a briefcase using wool for its computer padding, to a fanny pack and basic travel bags. All are natural tan hemp with leather trim, and all are beautiful. And they're all protected by lifetime warranties. Now if I could just find a hemp four-season tent.

US$32
www.terrapax.com // 800-30-TERRA

— Reviewed & Written by Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Gear & News Editor