Abstract: There is now provided a method for producing a product comprising plastic foam in an automatic molding machine. The method comprises providing a woven fabric on at least one surface of the mold cavity, with the woven fabric comprising a fabric having a fine-mesh woven fabric ply that faces the interior of the mold cavity upon assembly and a coarse-mesh woven fabric ply that is disposed adjacent at least one surface of the mold cavity and beneath the fine-mesh woven ply upon assembly to support the fine-mesh woven ply. The method further provides for introducing beads comprising plastic foam into the mold cavity; contacting the beads with a gaseous heat transfer medium, such as superheated steam; introducing the gaseous heat transfer medium into the mold cavity; flowing the gaseous heat transfer medium along a first surface of the mold cavity; and removing gaseous heat transfer medium along a second surface of the mold cavity; and removing the finished product from the mold.