A process for producing organic hollow particles by producing a multi-stage emulsion polymer by sequential polymerization of i) a seed and ii) subsequent reaction with a swell-seed containing 55% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 45% by weight of at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrophilic monomer, in each case based on the total weight of the core stage polymer which comprises both the seed and the swell-seed, iii) subsequent polymerization of a first shell containing 85% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 15% by weight of at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, iv) subsequent polymerization of a second shell containing 85% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 15% by weight of at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, v) subsequent addition of at least one plasticizer monomer with a ceiling temperature below 181°C, vi) neutralization to a pH of at least 7.5 or above of the thus-formed particles with one or more bases, vii) subsequent polymerization of a third shell containing 90% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 10% by weight of at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, viii) and optionally polymerization of one or more further shells containing at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, wherein the weight ratio of the swell-seed (ii) to the seed polymer (i) is 10:1 to 150:1, the weight ratio of the core stage polymer to the first shell (iii) is 2:1 to 1:5, and the weight ratio of the third shell (vii) to the second shell (iv) is 1:2 to 1:10. i) a seed and ii) subsequent reaction with a swell-seed containing 55% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 45% by weight of at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrophilic monomer, in each case based on the total weight of the core stage polymer which comprises both the seed and the swell-seed, iii) subsequent polymerization of a first shell containing 85% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 15% by weight of at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, iv) subsequent polymerization of a second shell containing 85% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 15% by weight of at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, v) subsequent addition of at least one plasticizer monomer with a ceiling temperature below 181°C, vi) neutralization to a pH of at least 7.5 or above of the thus-formed particles with one or more bases, vii) subsequent polymerization of a third shell containing 90% to 99.9% by weight of at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and 0.1% to 10% by weight of at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, viii) and optionally polymerization of one or more further shells containing at least one nonionic ethylenically unsaturated monomer and at least one hydrophilic ethylenically unsaturated monomer, wherein <EOS>