Abstract: A new method for preparation of hydrophilic fillers has been found, based on high-molecular weight compounds insoluble in water, obtained by the copolymerization of unsaturated monomers, soluble and insoluble in water, either in the form of an aqueous emulsion containing 10-70% by wt. of fillers, or in the dry powdered form having the required particle size, which in the final application are able to sorb reversibly water vapor, and are particularly suited for producing synthetic leather and similar materials.

Abstract: A mixture of monomers, at least one of which contains 1 or 2 --COOH groups and the other one of which contains more than 1 vinyl group in the molecule, is polymerized by means of radical polymerization in the medium of a plasticizer or a mixture of plasticizers having saturated higher fatty acids or/and unsaturated higher fatty acids (either plain or halogenated) and/or higher alcohols. The product is transferred into the Na, K or NH.sub.3 form, the content of plasticizer is reduced to 20 - 70 wt. % (e.g. by centrifugation) or water is removed (e.g. azeotropic or vacuum distillation). The product is suitable, above all, in manufacturing of hygienic artificial leathers.