As is now part of IPÊ 's mission , sustainable businesses have motivated women from the communities surrounding Superagüi National Park to produce articles that increase their family income and at the same time place value on the local environment.

The first product developed was felt puppet in the shape of endangered species from the region: the black-faced lion tamarin and the Red-tailed Amazon, a beautiful parrot endemic of the South of Brazil.   In 2003, the sale of these puppets increased the monthly income of the families involved --the majority of which survive solely on the husking of shrimp-- by up to 375%.  Nevertheless, the sale of puppets proved to be variable over time, and currently, new products have been introduced to the communities, such as embroidered T-shirts.

At first , the puppets were produced by IPÊ 's educators as teaching instruments for classes in environmental education for the children of the region.   Over time, workshops were offered to the students' mothers as a means to involve them in conservation thematic activities. They gradually became interested in the production of the puppets, especially after receiving a large order for puppets from Denmark , England , and Italy .  Thus, this initiative, which began with environmental education, became a business opportunity.  As the puppets did not maintain market v alue , it was important to keep their value t o education and to introduce new products so the women could continue to produce nature-themed products. The aim is to enhance local care for the environment, for threatened species, and for the human beings who inhabit regions where biodiversity-rich ecosystems still exist .  

The important aspect is to maintain activities that view nature as a wealth that merits attention, respect, and care.  In this atmosphere, human beings can feel that they are part of the environment , valuing it more and more over time.