The invention provides a method of making a composite, the method comprising: combining a fibrous material with a radiation cross-linkable resin to provide a fibrous material/cross-linkable resin combination, wherein the fibrous material has an average length-to-diameter ratio of greater than 5, and wherein a standard deviation of a fiber length is less than eighty five percent of an average fiber length； and irradiating the fibrous material/cross-linkable resin. The invention further provides a composite comprising a cross-linked resin and a fibrous material having an average length-to-diameter ratio of greater than 5 and a standard deviation of a fiber length is less than eighty five percent of an average fiber length. The invention further provides a method of reducing biological overgrowth or rot or decay in a composite, the method comprising irradiating a composite with an ionizing radiation prior to use.
