Soy wax is a vegetable wax made from soybean oil, though it may include non-soy ingredients. The process of producing soy wax involves several steps, like harvesting, cleaning, and hydrogenating.
The vast majority of soy beans are cultivated in the US. After harvesting said beans they are cleaned, cracked, de-hulled, and then rolled into flakes. The oil is then extracted from the flakes and hydrogenated. Approximately 60 kg of soybeans are required to produce 10 kg of wax.
The process of hydrogenation converts some of the fatty acids in the oil from unsaturated to saturated. This dramatically alters the melting point of the oil, making it solid at room temperature. The typical melting point for Soy wax is around 124 degrees F.
The leftover bean husks are commonly used as animal feed.