There are quite a few tools and items you will be using as an herbalism student, and a practitioner. We have listed some of the most commonly used tools you will become very familiar with and those that will be utilized frequently.

Cellophane Bags, Muslin Bags & Tea Bags

The cello bags are clear and approved for the storage of food. They are crystal clear, they fold easy and easy to seal as well. They are completely biodegradable and made from natural plant cellulose. The cotton muslin bags are simple and unbleached with a drawstring. They are very useful for brewing the large pots of tea, food preparation, infusing bath herbs with a variety of other uses. They come in different sizes, you should have the small and large dimensions. The tea bags lined with a plant based polymer make them 100 percent compostable. They are used for bath herbs, the tea and other blends.

Mortars, Grinders and Graters

You should have a mortar and pestle set that is sculpted and made from pure polished marble. The heavy duty mortar should be able to stand up to any kind of grinding and should clean easily. They should measure about 4 inches and should be dishwasher safe. You can also choose to have a white porcelain mortar and pestle. It is very convenient with a pouring lip for easy dispensing. It should be lead free and dishwasher friendly as well. There are a few different graters; the nutmeg grater made from the stainless steel with microblades that give fine shavings. The salt grater is also an indispensable tool for grating salt chunks. The spice grinder should come equipped with an easy to clean ceramic grinding mechanism.

Containers

Containers can be used to store dried herbs bought over the counter. It is never wise to leave them in the plastic bag. The best but expensive containers are the Rubbermaid style plastic containers. However, you should make sure the containers are well washed and dried completely before use.

Empty Capsules

Empty capsules are the best for herbal powder. They contain no animal derived ingredients, preservatives, wheat or starch.

Stainless Steel and Wooden Scoops

The scoops should be heavy duty as well as commercial grade stainless steel scoops. Scoops are convenient for measuring, and very practical; you might want to get several different sizes.

Bag Dryers, Cheese Clothes, Funnel

Bag dryers should be a wood holder mainly designed for drying the plastic bags and other cloth items. Cheesecloth is very popular and is made from unbleached organic cotton. It is a natural fiber product with just a fine mesh. Funnel is one of those items you will be using frequently. Funnel options include a stainless steel funnel with a strainer.

As a herbalism student you will be hands on, mixing herbs, blending, grinding, drying and learning about different applications and methods used with different herbs. These tools are some of the staples in your herbalism studies and practice.