This invention relates to a process for manufacturing composites and laminates reinforced with continuous or long fibers and/or filaments. The process includes the subsequent steps of (a) forming a preform of reinforcing material by arranging a green tape, ribbon, sheet or cloth including a number of continuous longitudinally oriented fibers or filaments which are spaced from each other by uniformly distributed particles, bonded by a flexible binder, (b) removing or converting a major portion of the binder into matrix material and, if applicable, (c) filling the voids and cavities with matrix material. Further, this invention relates to a process for manufacturing composites and laminates reinforced with chopped-aligned fibers and/or filaments, which includes chopping a green tape or ribbon as defined above, mixing the chopped tape or ribbon with a binder, lubricant and/or matrix material and forming mouldings from this mixture by any moulding method.