ISA » Industrial Uses » Other Soybean Uses

Soybeans are often called the miracle crop, with uses ranging from edible oils and animal feeds to industrial adhesives, crayons and printing inks. A 60-pound bushel of soybeans yields about 48 pounds of protein-rich meal and 11 pounds of oil.

With funding from the Illinois soybean checkoff, ISA helps promote research and development of new uses. Below is a sampling of those uses. You also may want to check out this story detailing a report projecting $13 billion in growth in the global soy chemicals market by 2017, as well as our audiocasts on new and upcoming uses.

• Soy-Based Building Materials are a hit with the construction industry. New uses include soy adhesives that glue short pieces of wood together to make longer pieces of lumber, soyoil-based backing on carpet and padding, wood-like soy composites used for floors, paneling and tabletops and board-stock insulation made from soy polyols.
• Soy-Based Candles are popular with consumers because they do not get as hot as paraffin candles and their fragrance spreads faster. Soy candles also burn cleaner and don't leave soot like paraffin. A number of soy candle manufacturers exist today.
• Soy Crayons made from soyoil have better color and don't rub off like other crayons, and they cost less, too. Just one bushel of soybeans can make more than 2,000 crayons!
• Soy-Based Dieletric Fluid is used on U.S. military bases overseas. Soybean oil is the base material in the fluid, which is used in transformers that provide lighting and electric power for other operational needs. Acting as a coolant, the fluid is biodegradable, non-toxic and carbon neutral. Learn more about this soy benefit here.
• Soy Fiber is made from residual compounds from tofu manufacturing. One of those products, SOYSILK, is quickly becoming a yarn of choice for clothing and more.
• Soy-Based Furniture made from soy foam can be used for armrests and chair and sofa cushions. Soy-based products are also used in car and truck seats.
• Soy-Based Health & Beauty Products include everything from hand lotion to soap. Soy is not as greasy as other products and helps protect your skin from the sun. Soy used to make shampoo and hair conditioner also provides nutrients for your hair.
• Soy-Based Lubricants & Hydraulic Fluids are used to make fiberglass, which may someday be used in strong, but lightweight parts for farm equipment, cars and boats. In addition to furniture parts, soy foams can also be used to make insulation and films.
• Soy-Based Paints & Coatings made from soyoil are safe for the environment and safe enough for food packages. They're less toxic and cost less than traditional products.
• Soy-Based Pesticides/Herbicides with soyoil are used in bug sprays for orchards and trees. The sprays are better for the environment and can help kill weeds.
• Soy-Based Plastics provide a cost-effective alternative to petroleum-based plastics. These technologies include polyurethane using soy polyols for carpet backing and agricultural equipment, as well as composites for body and interior parts of cars, boats, and other vehicles.
  
• Soy-Based Printing Inks are environmentally friendly, healthy and safe and take only a small amount of energy to produce. Soyoil is capable of rendering brighter colors than petroleum-based and other vegetable oil-based inks. Soy ink also aids in paper recycling because it is easier to remove during de-inking, which means less damage to paper fibers.
• Soy-Based Road Materials or "soapstock" form an environmentally safe coating that protects concrete roads and helps control dust on gravel roads.
• Soy Solvents remove grease, paint, oil and stains without harming materials. Unlike other solvents, they can be cleaned with water, making them better for the environment.
• Soy Toner is used in laser printers, copiers and fax machines. Paper printed with soy toner is easier to recycle and comes out cleaner and brighter than other toners.
• Soy-Based Winter Products use glycerin - a by-product of biodiesel production - to offer a greener alternative to harsher chemical-based ingredients. These items include antifreeze, deicers, water-line winterizers, and more. Read more about these innovative cold-weather combatants here.