a method of fabricating molded articles composed of elastomeric material having embedded therein essentially oriented fibers , comprising the steps of fabricating a molded article with oriented fibers therein , positioning the molded article within a mold having two portions , a first mold portion defining the shape of the final molded article and a second mold portion arranged separately of said first mold portion and in communication therewith , said molded article being positioned partly in said first mold portion and partly in said second mold portion , subjecting the part of the molded article positioned in said second mold portion to a directed flow operation into said first mold portion and reorienting by said directed flow operation the fibers subjected to flow into a second fiber orientation direction differing from the fiber orientation direction of the part of said molded article positioned in said first mold portion .