Traditionally, the most popular wax products for many applications have been petroleum-based waxes such as paraffin. However, these materials, which are derived from fossil fuels, have been facing increasing regulatory and reputational headwinds due to their non-renewable nature and greenhouse gas emissions.

As consumers and companies become ever more eco-conscious, and more environmental, social, and governance (ESG) mandates are introduced, bio-based materials and sustainable alternatives to petroleum waxes have rapidly gained traction. One of these materials is soy wax. 

Soy wax delivers comparable technical performance to traditional paraffin wax and similar petroleum-based products, while offering superior sustainability credentials and a significant total-cost advantage. In this post, we will explore everything you need to know about this promising bio-wax and its uses. 

What Is Soy Wax and How Does the Soy Wax Production Process Work?

Soybeans are amongst the world’s most important crops, and here in the US, soy farming is the second biggest crop after corn. Around 75% of the world’s soybean production is used for animal feed. However, soy is also a nutritious food for humans, and is used to make products such as tofu, dairy alternatives, and meat substitutes. In addition, soy is a vital component in biodiesel and finds use in applications as varied as skincare, paints and coatings, and construction. 

Soy wax is a vegetable wax derived from hydrogenated soybean oil, a by-product of soybean processing. Soybeans are harvested, then cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and rolled into flakes. Oil is extracted from these flakes using either a mechanical or chemical process. Finally, the oil is hydrogenated, which converts unsaturated fatty acids into saturated ones and creates a wax that is solid at room temperature. If necessary, the soy wax can be refined to remove any impurities. 

Soy wax has a high C18 fatty-acid content, including stearic acid and oleic acid, and consists primarily of triglyceride structures. It typically has a melt point range of 49-82°C (120-180°F), exhibits moderate hardness, has a low thermal conductivity, and has a low viscosity when melted, making it easy to work with in a variety of applications. It has an excellent scent throw, is non-toxic, and produces significantly less soot than comparable traditional waxes.

Benefits of Soy Wax: Core Technical Benefits

In addition to its impressive sustainability profile, soy wax exhibits an array of technical benefits that make it ideal for numerous uses. 

Thermal and Oxidative Stability

Soy wax displays consistent melting behavior and a good resistance to hot-plate yellowing. This thermal and oxidative stability makes it ideal for applications requiring high performance consistency. It also makes soy wax particularly ideal for candle making.

Lubricity and Release Performance

Soy wax makes an effective mold-release in polymer and rubber processing due to its lubricity. 

Formulation Versatility

Soy wax is highly versatile. It can be blended with various other bio-based and synthetic waxes to create formulas with specific desired properties. It can also be dispersed into water-based products to create a stable emulsion. 

Regulatory and Environmental Benefits

Soy wax is an eco-friendly wax derived from plants. It is a natural and renewable resource with a lower carbon footprint than many other varieties of wax. Soy wax is also REACH, FDA, and USDA Biobased label-compliant. This makes it an attractive choice for companies and consumers who are concerned about their environmental impact and seeking more sustainable alternative materials.

Process Efficiency and Cost Savings

Soy wax can contribute to improving process efficiency in manufacturing and saving money in a number of ways. 

Due to its relatively low melting point, choosing soy wax can save energy over waxes with higher melting points, such as paraffin and microcrystalline waxes. It can also reduce cycle times in processes such as casting and extrusion, ultimately improving throughput.

In addition, soy wax can reduce the maintenance burden on manufacturers as it creates less residue buildup on dies and rollers than many other wax varieties. This enables more efficient maintenance processes and results in fewer unplanned shutdowns. 

Supply-Chain Resilience & Economic Benefits

Compared to many other crops and raw materials, soybean pricing is relatively stable. Many manufacturers have long-term contracts with soybean growers and processors, allowing them to implement hedging strategies to minimize risk. 

Soybeans are primarily grown in the Americas, with the United States, Brazil, and Argentina collectively accounting for around 80% of global soy production. This helps to ensure traceability, allowing manufacturers and consumers to understand precisely where their soy wax products have come from. It also makes it easier to ensure that soy products have been produced using responsible farming practices and by soy producers that carry Fairtrade certifications. 

Finally, soy represents a strong return on investment and a low total cost of ownership. Though soy wax is generally slightly more expensive than paraffin wax, this is offset by the energy and maintenance savings discussed in the last section. 

Commercial Soy Wax Applications 

Soy wax finds use in numerous applications and industries, and is growing rapidly as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic and petroleum-derived waxes. Here are three of its biggest applications at the time of writing. 

Coatings & Inks

Soy can be used to create soy-based inks, paints, and other coatings. These products have a lower concentration of harmful chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to their paraffin-based counterparts. It is also a biodegradable alternative to chemical inks and can make paper materials easier to recycle. 

In addition, soy is used as an anti-blocking agent and to create matte finishes in flexible packaging products. 

Rubber & Plastics

Soy wax is an ideal and inexpensive mold-release and slip agent that is commonly utilized in the manufacture of automotive and appliance parts made from rubber or plastic. 

Personal Care & Candle Making

Soy wax is growing in popularity in candle-making and related products such as wax melts. Candle makers prize this material for the clean burn, excellent fragrance retention, and extended burn times offered by soy wax candles. Soy candle wax also produces minimal soot and offers a strong fragrance throw compared to paraffin wax candles.

Soy wax is also a common ingredient in various cosmetics and personal care products, thanks to its desirable textural and skin-safe properties. For example, it can provide a creamy texture in lip balms and has been shown to lock in moisture when used in skincare formulations. 

Implementation Guidelines

Transitioning or partially transitioning from petroleum-based waxes to soy wax, or adding soy wax to your manufacturing processes, requires some care and understanding. The three main areas to consider are wax grade selection, processing practices, and quality control. 

Choosing Soy Wax: Type and Grade Selection

Whether you choose fully or partially hydrogenated soy wax will depend on your application and performance needs. Fully hydrogenated soy wax offers better melting characteristics, but some users find it too brittle. Partially hydrogenated wax, on the other hand, is easier to work with and can have a more pleasant texture, but it may melt and solidify less readily. 

You will also need to choose between semi-refined and fully refined soy wax. Semi-refined wax retains more of its original properties, such as a natural color and a lower melting point. It is commonly used in basic candle-making and industrial applications such as paper and packaging coatings, waterproof sealants, and rubber production. Fully refined soy wax is generally used in luxury candle-making, personal care and cosmetics products, pharmaceuticals, and food-grade packaging and coatings.

Processing Best Practices

Soy wax processing involves paying careful attention to your unique wax blend and how it behaves under real-world manufacturing conditions. This may require some trial and error. 

Many soy wax users find that pre-heating containers to around 100°F (37°C) can help the wax to cool more evenly, reducing issues such as cracking or frosting (white formations on the surface of the wax). Over-agitating soy wax can lead to frosting or the formation of air bubbles, so stick to gentle or moderate agitation when working with soy wax. 

For applications in which viscosity is critical, inline monitoring can track the wax’s viscosity in real time while it is being poured and processed. This can help catch problems earlier in the manufacturing process and allow you to optimize your processes accordingly. Ongoing quality control can also include monitoring melt rheology, performing acid value checks, and monitoring peroxide value as you process the wax. 

IGI: Your Supplier of Eco-Friendly Soy Waxes, Blended Waxes, and More

IGI is a leading supplier of wax products to clients across the manufacturing sector, including a growing range of plant-based and bio-waxes. Our soy wax products are available in flexible order sizes, formats, and packaging options to suit your needs. We put wax to work, and we are here to help you find and utilize the waxes that work for you. Do you need a custom-blended wax? Would you like to request a sample to see whether our waxes will suit your application? Our expert team will be happy to discuss your needs and advise you. Please contact us today to learn more.