Itaú facing hemp | Brazcann

Banks & cards

How hemp biocomposites could reach Itaú

Itaú could launch cards in hemp bioplastic instead of PVC. Issue cards in hemp bioplastic instead of fossil PVC, aligning Brazil's largest private bank with its sustainability agenda. Below, an independent strategic analysis by Brazcann on how this would be possible — and what the brand stands to gain.

If you're looking for «Itaú hemp», «Itaú and cannabis» or a cannabis card linked to Itaú, this report brings together the science, the potential of industrial cannabis and the business path behind the idea.

Itaú's current challenge

Itaú has a robust ESG agenda and issues millions of PVC cards, a fossil-based plastic. A renewable card is a concrete sustainability statement for its immense customer base.

The science behind: hemp bioplastic

Hemp is extremely rich in cellulose — the raw material of bioplastics. Hemp-fiber composites with polymers (including biopolymers such as PLA) yield rigid, lightweight and partially biodegradable parts, used in automotive interiors, electronics and packaging. Being plant-based, they reduce dependence on fossil plastic and can lower the final product's carbon footprint.

High cellulose content: a natural base for bioplastics and rigid composites.
Parts lighter than conventional plastics, with good mechanical strength.
Partial biodegradability depending on the polymer matrix used.
Reduces the use of fossil-based plastic.

How Itaú would apply hemp bioplastic

Itaú could produce cards in hemp bioplastic, keeping chip, contactless and durability, and communicating the switch as sustainable innovation to millions of account holders.

A possible path

Develop a durable hemp-bioplastic card.
Validate chip reading, contactless and resistance.
Communicate the renewable card to customers.

The potential gain (hypothetical scenario)

In a hypothetical scenario, a hemp card would reduce the fossil PVC of millions of units and reinforce Itaú's ESG — dependent on technical feasibility.

Sustainability: Replacing fossil plastic with hemp bioplastic cuts production emissions and improves the product's end of life (recycling/composting).

The link with Brazil and Brazcann

With RDC 1,013/2026 releasing hemp cultivation, the possibility opens for a domestic plant-cellulose chain for bioplastics.

Brazcann operates precisely at this bridge: regulatory intelligence, importing and structuring cannabis and hemp businesses in Brazil — helping companies turn scenarios like this into viable, Anvisa-compliant projects.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make a bank card from hemp?

Yes: bioplastics replace PVC while keeping chip, contactless and durability, with renewable content.

Does the card last the same?

With the right formulation, it reaches the daily-use durability of a conventional card.

Is there a marijuana card?

The popular term is "marijuana", but the correct material here is industrial hemp — Cannabis sativa with THC ≤ 0.3%, with no psychoactive effect. It is the source of hemp bioplastic in this analysis. It is not a drug, but a renewable, sustainable industrial material.