Method of manufacturing a stiffening fabric exhibiting adhesive properties when exposed to head and polymer fusible at elevated temperature

Production of a heat-bondable stiffener comprises depositing spots of heat-meltable polymer (I) on the front of a textile or nonwoven substrate and subjecting the back of the substrate to electron bombardment. <??>Production of a heat-bondable stiffener comprises depositing spots of heat-meltable polymer (I) on the front of a textile or nonwoven substrate and subjecting the back of the substrate to electron bombardment, where (I) has functional groups capable of generating and/or reacting with free radicals under electron bombardment and the depth of penetration of the electrons into the polymer spots is controlled to produce self-crosslinking of (I) over a thickness less than the mean thickness of the spots. <??>An Independent claim is also included for a polymer of type (I) for carrying out the above process.