Conductive Fabric Guide: Compare Every Fabric
I've tested every fabric in the shop in real builds, and this is the page I wish I'd had when I started making wearables. Use the quick picks if you're in a hurry, or scroll to the full table to compare everything side by side.
Quick picks
- It needs to stretch (gloves, sleeves, anything on a moving body): Silver Woven Stretch or Tulle Mesh Silver.
- It will sit against skin: a silver-based fabric such as Soft Silver & Cotton or Shieldex Balingen. Avoid nickel blends for long skin contact.
- Touch buttons and switches: Copper Conductive Fabric or Ripstop, square pattern. Cheap, easy to cut, easy to sew.
- Clean shapes with no fraying: Shieldex Bonn, a nonwoven that cuts like felt.
- RFID blocking and shielding: Copper Diamond Grid, Nickel PET or the waterproof Copper/Nickel 5G.
- Fast prototyping: the peel-and-stick copper, silver or black fabrics. Stick it down to test, then sew it once you're happy.
- Not sure yet? Start with the 5-fabric sample pack or the BIG 10 and feel them for yourself.
Compare every fabric
On a phone, swipe sideways to see every column.
| Fabric | What it is | Stretch | Thickness | Resistance* | On skin | Care | Best for | From, per 10×10 cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Silver Woven Stretch |
Silver-plated nylon knit | Yes | – | <1 Ω | Yes | Hand wash, test water | Glove fingertips, stretch sensors, circuits that move | $3.33 |
 Tulle Mesh Silver |
Silver-plated nylon tulle | Yes | Sheer | <0.03 Ω | Yes | Hand wash, test water | Sheer overlays, breathable sensors, fashion layers | $3.49 |
 Breathable Mesh Silver Fibre |
Silver fibre knit mesh | Yes | – | <1 Ω/ft | Yes | Hand wash, test water | Touch gloves, soft keypads, squeeze switches | $4.12 |
 Soft Silver & Cotton |
35% silver, 65% cotton | Yes | – | Not rated | Yes, very soft | Hand wash, test water | Buttons and switches that touch skin | $3.86 |
 Shieldex® Balingen |
Silver-plated polyamide knit (~20% silver) | Some (knit) | 0.26 mm | <0.6 Ω/□ | Yes (Oeko-Tex 100) | Washable, gentle | Smart garments, skin sensors | $6.95 |
 Shieldex® Bonn |
Silver-plated polyamide nonwoven (17% silver) | No | 0.35 mm | <0.5 Ω/□ | Yes | Not stated | Clean-cut pads that never fray, electrodes, shielding layers | $3.29 |
 Shieldex® Bern |
Silver-plated nonwoven | No | – | Not rated by supplier | Yes | Not stated | Soft electrodes and biometric sensors | $3.29 |
 WOREMOR Berlin RSX |
Silver-plated polyamide ripstop, PUR coated | No | Featherweight | ~0.3 Ω/□ | Not stated | Wipe clean | RF pouches, cable wraps, light shielding panels | $2.49 |
 Copper Diamond Grid (gold) |
Copper, diamond grid weave | No | 0.08 mm | ≤0.05 Ω | Not stated | Wipe clean | RFID-blocking linings, Faraday pouches, bag linings | $3.04 |
 Copper Conductive Fabric |
Copper and nickel woven | No | 0.06 mm | Not rated | Limit (nickel) | Do not scrub; wipe | Custom touch buttons, traces, shielding | $1.38 |
 Ripstop, square pattern |
Copper, nickel, polyester ripstop | No | 0.08 mm | Not rated | Limit (nickel) | Wipe; not machine washable | Switches, battery holders, prototyping | $1.66 |
 Nickel Diamond Ripstop |
Copper, nickel, polyester ripstop | Slight, on the bias | 0.08 mm | Not rated | Limit (nickel) | Damp cloth only | Low-cost switches, buttons, practice pieces | $0.46 |
 Copper/Nickel 5G Waterproof |
Copper, nickel, polyester ripstop, waterproof | No | 0.08 mm | <0.04 Ω | Limit (nickel) | Waterproof finish | Faraday enclosures, outdoor wearables | $2.75 |
 Durable Oxford |
Copper, nickel, polyester Oxford weave | No | 0.12 mm | <0.03 Ω/ft | Limit (nickel) | Wipe clean | Hard-wearing pads and bag panels | $2.22 |
 Nickel PET, silver back |
PET with nickel-copper-nickel, black one side | No | 0.08 mm | 0.05 Ω | Limit (nickel) | Wipe clean | RFID wallets, shielding panels, black-faced buttons | $0.78 |
 Nickel Mix |
Nickel and copper woven | No | 0.06 mm | Not rated | No | Do not scrub | Precise buttons and clean traces | $1.49 |
 Soft Metallic |
Nickel, copper, polyester taffeta | No (flexible) | – | <0.05 Ω/ft | Limit (nickel) | Distilled water only | Touch gloves, soft keypads, traces | $1.06 |
 Black, adhesive back |
Copper, polyester, nickel, carbon; peel and stick | No | – | <0.03 Ω | No | Do not wash | Laying out circuits and electrodes, then sewing | $2.38 |
 Silver, adhesive back |
Nickel, silver, polyester; peel and stick | No | – | ≤0.05 Ω | No | Do not wash | Quick prototypes and paper circuits | $2.19 |
 Copper, adhesive back |
Copper, nickel, polyester; peel and stick | No | 0.25 mm | ≤0.05 Ω | No | Do not wash | Quick prototypes, repairs, shielding patches | $2.44 |
*Resistance figures are the supplier's ratings and use different units (per square, per foot or across the sample). Use them to compare roughly, then check your own piece with a multimeter. Lower means more conductive. "Not rated" or "Not stated" means the supplier gives no figure, so I haven't guessed one.
How the fibres behave
Silver
The most conductive, the softest and the kindest to skin; silver is also naturally antimicrobial. It tarnishes when it meets sulphur, chlorine or acidic water, which slowly raises resistance. Before you wash it, soak a scrap in your tap water for an hour, let it dry and test it. If it darkens or loses conductivity, wash in distilled water only.
Copper and nickel blends
The workhorses: cheaper, tougher and easy to cut, sew and iron. Copper oxidises over time, so keep it dry. Nickel is a common skin allergen, so put a layer of ordinary fabric between a nickel blend and the wearer for anything worn for long.
Knits, wovens and nonwovens
Knits stretch, and their resistance changes as they stretch, which makes them good for stretch and bend sensors. Wovens and ripstops stay stable, so the readings stay steady. Nonwovens such as Bonn have no grain and never fray, so edges stay crisp.
Attaching it to your project
- Sew it with stainless steel conductive thread to make the electrical connection.
- Iron it on with Bondaweb for clean, flat shapes. Use a medium iron and test a corner first.
- Snap it with metal sew-on snaps when you need a removable connection to a board or battery.
- Loop it with ring terminals: solder or crimp a wire into the terminal, then sew the ring to the fabric with conductive thread. A strong, tidy way to bring wires from a board onto fabric.
Questions people ask
What is the best conductive fabric for touch sensors?
For a simple capacitive touch pad, almost any of them will work. Copper or ripstop is cheapest. For a touch area on a glove or sleeve, use a stretch silver so it moves with the hand.
Can you wash conductive fabric?
Silver fabrics can be hand washed gently if your water doesn't tarnish them (test first). Copper and nickel blends should only be wiped clean. Adhesive-backed fabrics shouldn't be washed. Take any electronics out first.
Which conductive fabric stretches?
The silver knits: Silver Woven Stretch, Tulle Mesh, Breathable Mesh and Soft Silver & Cotton. Shieldex Balingen has a little give. The rest are stable wovens or nonwovens.
Copper or silver?
Copper blends are cheaper and tougher, and great for buttons, traces and shielding. Silver is softer, more conductive and better against skin.
Where can I buy conductive fabric in Canada?
Right here: every fabric is cut and packed by hand in Nova Scotia and ships across Canada, with small parcels from $3.50. See shipping rates. Most fabrics come in 10 × 10 cm samples, so you can try before buying larger pieces.