There is described a process for producing a cover for a side airbag, which comprises first producing a polyester web, preconsolidating this web by needling and end-consolidating and fully shrinking the thus preconsolidated web by means of an embossing calender, making the thus consolidated and fully shrunk web up into a cover and providing the cover with a predetermined breaking site to tear open the cover in the event of a collision.The process is simple to carry out and leads to inexpensive covers having improved properties.