A cigarette filter having a consolidated nonwoven fabric with an aqueous based polymer binder. The polymer binder comprises one or more polymer compositions and is stabilized by one or more high molecular weight protective colloids. While the binder may be utilized with unconsolidated nonwoven fabric webs made by a variety of methods, the binder is particularly useful for application to webs made via the latex bonded airlaid or multibonded airlaid methods.