Part used: seed pods
Color range: clear beige without a mordant and gray and black with ferrous sulfate
Mordant: none
Light fastness: improves light fastness for all dyes
WOF: 10%
Cold dyeing: no
Hot dyeing: yes
Low Impact Method: no
Works better with cellulose than protein fibers.
 
Tara powder is a vegetable tannin of the pyrogallic type and is produced from the pods of a stocky shrub or small tree, the Tara or Cesalpinia Spinosa.
 
The fruits are 43-51 percent tannin.  Our Tara comes from Peru where the shrubs grow in the mild climate of the valleys of the Andes. The plants grow predominantly as wild plants and to a small extent, they are cultivated by the native farmers as a protection against erosion. In April the Tara husks are harvested without damaging the trees. The sales of these husks are an important source of income for the rural population in Peru. This is a very sustainable crop and a great source for tannin.
 
Tara powder is used for producing a high grade of leather as it changes the base color only slightly.  The fruits are also used for ink and black dye. In natural dyeing and botanical printing it creates wonderful deep shades of black.  
 
Use Tara at 10% WOF for improving light and wash fastness.
For deep blacks use 20% WOF and a post mordant of 1% Ferrous Sulfate.
Packed in a resealable bag of 100 grams (3.5 oz).