1. A method of making a flexible fabric comprising a fibrous matrix of ribbon-like, conjugate, spun filaments, the method comprising the following steps: providing a fibrous matrix comprising individual, spun filaments bonded at spaced-apart bond locations, the filaments comprising: a core composed of at least one low-softening point thermoplastic component, and a sheath composed of at least one high-softening point component; applying a flattening force to the fibrous matrix to durably distort the core of individual filaments into a ribbon-like configuration having a width greater than its height so that: the individual filaments are substantially unattached between the spaced-apart bond locations, and the width of individual filaments is oriented substantially in the planar dimension of the fabric.