Abstract: The present disclosure includes thin, high-stiffness laminates, portable electronic device housings including the same, and methods for making such laminates and portable electronic device housings. Some laminates include an inner section having one or more first laminae and one or more second laminae, and first and second outer sections disposed on opposing sides of the inner section, each having one or more third laminae The laminate has a width and a length that is perpendicular to the width. Each of the first lamina(e) can have fibers aligned in a direction parallel to the length, each of the second lamina(e) can have fibers aligned in a direction parallel to the width, and each of the third lamina(e) can have fibers aligned in a direction angnlarly disposed at an angle of at least 10 degrees to each of the length and the width.