Introducing Tru-Tan
The food-grade tanning powder built for people who care what goes into their craft — and what comes out of it.
Not all tanning solutions are created equal. Tru-Tan was built differently — from the ground up, with clean ingredients and real results in mind.
If you've spent any time in the world of brain tanning, you know the frustration. You want a product that works with the hide — not against it. Something that respects the process, respects the animal, and respects the person doing the work.
That's exactly why Tru-Tan exists. It was developed right here in Alberta, born out of years of hands-on tanning experience and a deep dissatisfaction with what was available on the market. Too many products were full of chemicals you couldn't pronounce, with shelf lives that made bulk buying impossible and results that were inconsistent at best.
Tru-Tan is the answer to all of that.
Built From Food-Grade Ingredients
Every single ingredient in Tru-Tan meets food-grade standards. That means what touches your hide — and your hands — is clean, safe, and natural.
All-Natural Formula
No harsh chemicals. No synthetic additives. Tru-Tan is made entirely from natural, food-grade components that work in harmony with the hide's natural fibers.
Exceptional Shelf Life
Unlike many tanning solutions that degrade quickly, Tru-Tan has an impressive shelf life. Buy in bulk, stock your workshop, and use it when you're ready — it'll be waiting.
Safe to Handle
Because it's food-grade, you can work with Tru-Tan confidently. No gloves required for mixing, no ventilation warnings, no hazmat concerns. Just clean, honest tanning.
One Container. Enough for a Full Cow Hide.
Each container of Tru-Tan is formulated to handle an entire cow hide — which means it's more than enough for deer, elk, moose, or any other species you're working with.
Mix it with warm water to a milkshake consistency, apply it to your prepped hide, and let the formula do what it was designed to do: penetrate deeply, tan evenly, and produce that soft, supple finish that only the best tanning methods can achieve.
The results speak for themselves — a beautifully tanned hide that holds up in wet conditions, stays soft after washing, and carries the quality of traditional brain tanning without the complexity of sourcing and preparing actual brain.
"We built Tru-Tan because we wanted a product we'd actually be proud to use ourselves — clean ingredients, real results, and a shelf life that makes sense for how real people work."
Ranch & Hide CO | Fur-Check — Yellowhead County, Alberta
Simple Steps. Serious Results.
Tru-Tan follows the same proven process as traditional brain tanning — because it was designed to replicate those results. The difference is in the ingredients: clean, food-grade, and consistent every single time.
You mix, you apply, you work the hide through the critical drying phases, and you end up with leather that's soft, durable, and ready for smoking. The process rewards patience and attention — the same qualities that make any tanner great.
Whether you're a seasoned tanner or just starting out with your first hide, Tru-Tan gives you a reliable foundation to build on. The formula is forgiving enough for beginners and refined enough for professionals.
01
Mix with warm water
02
Apply to prepped hide
03
Work through drying
Ready to Get Started?
We've put together a complete, step-by-step instruction guide for Tru-Tan — including a printable quick-reference card you can keep right in your workshop. Everything you need to get professional results from your very first batch.
Why We Made Tru-Tan
We've been tanning hides in Alberta for a long time. And for a long time, we used whatever was available — products that worked well enough, but never quite felt right. Too many chemicals. Too short a shelf life. Too much uncertainty about what was actually in the formula.
When you're working with an animal that gave its life, you want to honor that with the best possible process. That means knowing exactly what you're using and why. It means being able to hand a finished hide to someone and say: every ingredient that touched this was clean, natural, and safe.
That's the standard we held ourselves to when developing Tru-Tan. Food-grade ingredients only. A formula that performs consistently across species — from deer and elk to moose and beaver. And a shelf life that makes sense for the way real tanners work — in batches, in seasons, on their own schedule.
We're proud of what Tru-Tan has become. And we're even prouder of the hides people are producing with it.
Related Reading
- Brain Tanning vs Modern Methods: Complete Comparison Guide— See how Tru-Tan fits into the bigger picture
- The Smoke That Seals Your Hide— The final step after Tru-Tan tanning
- Brain Tanning for Beginners: The First Hide Teaches Everything— Perfect starting point for new tanners
Questions About Tru-Tan?
We're always happy to talk tanning. Reach out and we'll help you figure out exactly what you need.