small portrait backdrop 5 39 u00d7 7 39 for a tabletop product to 10 39 u00d7 20 39 or more for a large set design the cut sheet material is subjected to crushing either by mechanical manipulation of the material either by hand or machine or by laundering it until it is soft and supple care should be taken when laundering so that temperatures do not exceed about 150 u00b0 f the material is then provided with one or more hems as described below with reference to fig2 4 to provide an opaque optic white backdrop which may be wiped clean of light dirt if desired prior to hemming an acrylic paint or water soluble dye is applied to the relatively absorbent side of the cut sheet material according to any of a number of methods which are described below while the slick side of the material is relatively non absorbent it is possible to color the slick side as well as the absorbent side by submersing the material in a dye bath the painted dyed material is dried flat after the material is completely dry two hems are added as described below with reference to fig2 4 the material is then re crushed to insure a soft supple quality according to an alternative embodiment of the invention the cut sheet material is painted and or dyed before it is crushed in this embodiment the cut sheet material is fastened by tape or tacks to a flat surface and paint and or dye is applied to the material in a controlled manner as described in more detail below the painted dyed material is dried flat after the material is completely dry two hems.