A method of forming porous polymeric particulates comprising: providing a soluble material in particulate form; forming a packed region of the soluble particulate material having a plurality of voids in the packed region; contacting a flowable polymeric material with at least a portion of the packed region of the soluble particulate material whereby at least a portion of the flowable polymeric material is disposed in at least a portion of the voids in the packed region; at least partially solidifying the polymeric material to thereby form an intermediate composite material; removing at least a portion of the soluble particulate material from the intermediate composite material to thereby form porous polymeric particulates, wherein the operations of forming a packed region of the soluble particulate material and contacting a flowable polymeric material with at least a portion of the packed region of the soluble particulate material are performed by providing a polymeric material in particulate form, mixing the polymeric material in particulate form with the soluble material in particulate form, and heating the polymeric material in particulate form to a temperature sufficient to transform the polymeric material to a flowable polymeric material, wherein the porous polymeric particulates are in a form selected from the group consisting of (i) fibers or tubes having a non-hollow interior, (ii) fibers or tubes having an interior hollow region, (iii) fibers or tubes having a plurality of interior hollow regions, (iv) spheres having a non-hollow interior, (v) spheres having a hollow interior region, (vi) spheres having a plurality of interior hollow regions, and (vii) combinations of (i) - (vi). forming a packed region of the soluble particulate material having a plurality of voids in the packed region; contacting a flowable polymeric material with at least a portion of the packed region of the soluble particulate material whereby at least a portion of the flowable polymeric material is disposed in at least a portion of the voids in the packed region; at least partially solidifying the polymeric material to thereby form an intermediate composite material; removing at least a portion of the soluble particulate material from the intermediate composite material to thereby form porous polymeric particulates, wherein the operations of forming a packed region of the soluble particulate material and contacting a flowable polymeric material with at least a portion of the packed region of the soluble particulate material are performed by providing a polymeric material in particulate form, mixing the polymeric material in particulate form with the soluble material in particulate form, and heating the polymeric material in particulate form to a temperature sufficient to transform the polymeric material to a flowable polymeric material, wherein the porous polymeric particulates are in a form selected from the group consisting of (i) fibers or tubes having a non-hollow interior, (ii) fibers or tubes having an interior hollow region, (iii) fibers or tubes having a plurality of interior hollow regions, (iv) spheres having a non-hollow interior, (v) spheres having a hollow interior region, (vi) spheres having a plurality of interior hollow regions, and (vii) combinations of (i) - (vi).