Abstract: A major surface of a polymeric film such as untreated polypropylene is coated with a release agent which has the capacity to effect a weak, releasable bond with the surface of the polymeric film and a stron, non-releasable bond with the surface of metal, e.g., aluminum, which has been freshly vapor deposited; precipitating a thin, coherent stratum of the desired metal upon the coated surface of the polymeric film by vapor deposition; whereupon are applied simultaneously(1) a layer of a standard laminating adhesive to the stratum of the metal, which is then bonded thereby to the non-metallic substrate by standard laminating techniques; a composite structure having the following configuration is produced as a result: polymeric film/release agent coating/vapor deposited metal stratum/laminating adhesive layer/non-metallic substrate and(2) a coating of the release agent to the free major surface of the polymeric film; from which composite structure the polymeric film is then stripped.