DaimlerChrysler formed an alliance with the Poverty and Environment in Amazonia Research and Development project (POEMA) to reforest previously cleared land in Brazil to produce continuous yields year-round and process these harvests within the region. The joint goal of DaimlerChrysler and POEMA was to make sustainable use of the region's existing resources, including its land, plant and human resources. With an initial investment of US$ 1.4 million, research and development have centered on viable natural fiber products and the role local communities could play as suppliers. Through research, POEMA identified the use of coconut fibers in automobile headrests as a viable product and developed a low-technology production method for use by local populations.

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