A three-dimensional object is manufactured by selective sintering by means of electromagnetic radiation, wherein the powder comprises a polymer or copolymer having at least one of the following structural characteristics: (i) at least one branching group in the backbone chain of the polymer or copolymer, provided that in case of the use of polyaryletherketones (PAEK) the branching group is an aromatic structural unit in the backbone chain of the polymer or copolymer; (ii) modification of at least one end group of the backbone chain of the polymer or copolymer; (iii) at least one bulky group within the backbone chain of the polymer of copolymer, provided that in case of the use of polyaryletherketones (PAEK) the bulky group is not selected from the group consisting of phenylene, biphenylene, naphthalene and CH2- or isopropylidene-linked aromatics; (iv) at least one aromatic group non-linearly linking the backbone chain.