Composite article made by a process

A process for making a consolidated composite article having a density, Dc, and comprising:

• (i) a polymer having a softening temperature and (ii) fibers, said process comprising:
• providing a matte, wherein said matte is a mixture comprising:
• from about 1 wt % to about 90 weight percent of said fibers;
• and from about 10 weight percent to about 90 weight percent particles of a polymer, said matte having a density, Dm, that is less than Dc;
• densifying said matte to a compressed density greater than 1.1 times Dm and less than 0.999 times Dc while at least a portion of said matte is at a temperature less than softening temperature of polymer, to provide a compressed matte;
• heating said compressed matte throughout to a temperature greater than said softening temperature at a density greater than 1.1 times Dm and less than 0.999 times Dc, to provide a preconsolidated matte;
• cooling at least a portion of said preconsolidated matte to a temperature less than said softening temperature, to provide a consolidated matte;
• stacking a plurality of said consolidated matte to provide an article having selected fiber orientation of adjacent and contacting mattes, or pluralities of mattes;
• compressing the height of said article and heating throughout to a temperature greater than said softening temperature, to provide a consolidated composite article;
• and
• cooling at least a portion of said consolidated composite article to a temperature less than said softening temperature.