Abstract: Fibers in non-woven fibrous goods are bonded together by a crosslinked carboxylated acrylate polymer which forms a network of coalesced latex particles bonding contiguous fibers. This network exists as a non-continuous, porous film supported upon the fibers of the non-woven goods. The particles are of polymer derived from a crosslinked carboxylate latex containing from 1-20 phr of itaconic acid (IA) and at least 70 phr of one or more copolymerizable monomers one of which is an acrylate having the structure ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl;R.sub.2 represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.7 alkoxyalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.7 alkylthioalkyl, or C.sub.2 -C.sub.7 cyanoalkyl; andat least 40 phr of said acrylate in said film is present as an alkyl acrylate in which alkyl is C.sub.4 -C.sub.8.

Abstract: A soft but tough self-supporting elastomeric film having a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) in the range from about -20.degree. C. to about -60.degree. C., raw tensile strength of at least 300 psi, along with an elongation of at least 350% and less than 20% hysteresis loss, exhibits "snap", a characteristic of a natural rubber band. The novel film is derived from a crosslinked carboxylate latex containing from 1-20 phr of itaconic acid (IA) and at least 70 phr of one or more copolymerizable monomers one of which is an acrylate having the structure ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl;R.sub.2 represents C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.7 alkylthioalkyl, or C.sub.2 -C.sub.7 cyanoalkyl; andat least 40 phr of said acrylate in said film is present as an alkyl acrylate in which alkyl is C.sub.4 -C.sub.8.