After fabrics have been restored by conventional methods it is usually impossible to examine the reverse. This is sometimes necessary, e.g. in the case of flags and banners with designs on either side. A new method is described whereby the fabric is mounted on a colourless, rigid support by means of a suitable adhesive. The method may also be used for fabrics too delicate or fragile for the conventional methods of restoration which involve needlework. In practice the adhesive used was an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol. The requirements of an adhesive for this particular purpose are enumerated and the properties of polyvinyl alcohol described in full. As the colourless rigid support, either sheets of glass or a synthetic resin such as polymethylmethacrylate are used. -- AATA