also see: Connections >> Solderability Tests
There are a range of different conductive fabrics available. Some of the most frequently used conductive fabrics, tend to be the most available.
LessEMF is a retail company that stocks a great range of conductive fabrics for electro magnetic field shielding. It seems like some of their fabrics are manufactured by Shieldex, but LessEMF renames the fabrics for their own sales and so it is unclear which ones are really the same. I’ve tried to match a few up through comparison:
Shieldex: MedTex E 130 DS = LessEMF: Stretch Conductive Fabric
Shieldex: Armor RTF = LessEMF: Zelt Conductive Fabric
Shieldex
>> http://www.shieldextrading.net (USA, DE)
Balingen
1 x 20 cm = 4 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 7 Ohm
Highly conductive, nice and
MedTex E 130 DS
1 x 20 cm = 13 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 23 Ohm
Super similar, if not the same as LessEMF’s Stretch Conductive Fabric. Highly conductive and resistance halves itself when stretched fully.
MedTex P 180 OS
From the small sample I have it looks like a nice stretch conductive fabric to work with. Similar to LessEMF’s Stretch Conductive Fabric. Resistance also halves itself when stretched fully.
LessEmf
All of the fabrics that LessEMF has to offer are very interesting, but some of them find more use than others in many of our projects.
Our favorites are their Stretch, FlecTron N and CobalTex conductive fabrics.
>> http://lessemf.com/fabric.html (USA)
Stretch Conductive Fabric
1 x 20 cm = 13 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 23 Ohm
Silver plated, high conductivity, stretches in both directions.
Zelt Conductive Fabric
1 x 20 cm = 0.4 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 0.6 Ohm
Tin/copper coated.
CobalTex
1 x 20 cm = 5.2 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 12.4 Ohm
Cobalt alloy top coating, highly conductive. Looks and feels just like FlecTron N. Solderable!
ShieldIt Super
1 x 20 cm = 0.3 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 0.6 Ohm
Nickle and copper coated, comes with a non-conductive hot melt adhesive on one side, not as flexible and soft as other conductive fabrics but very conductive and great for making circuits that don’t need to be soft, but merely flexible. Nickle may cause skin irritation.
FlecTron
1 x 20 cm = 1.5 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 2.5 Ohm
Copper plated, high conductivity, but not suitable for wearable applications since the material will tarnish with exposure to liquids and skin oils. Solderable!
FlecTron N
1 x 20 cm = 5.2 Ohm
0.5 x 20 cm = 12.4 Ohm
Nickel/copper plated, high conductivity and more resistant than FlecTron to skin oils, but nickel might cause skin irritation. Solderable!
Soft and Safe Shielding Fabric NEW
“The Perfect Garment Shield”
Silverized, highly conductive, nice and soft, hard to tell it is conductive, but it is!
Pure Copper Polyester Taffeta Fabric NEW
Alternative to FlecTron!
Have not tried this yet.
Plug and Wear
This Italian textile company is knitting conductive textiles from thin metal wires, including them in three layer knitted textiles to create switches. And also including resistive yarns to knit pressure pressure sensors.
Plug and Wear now also stock a range of the LessEMF conductive fabrics!
>> http://www.plugandwear.com/ (Italy)
Sparkfun
Sparkfun now also sells small amounts of two different kinds of conductive fabric, that are most likely from Shieldex, but it is unclear exactly which ones these are.
Sparkfun Conductive Fabric (MedTex180)
Stretchy in one direction. Less than 1 ohm/10cm2 resistance. One side is very shiny and the other is not.
See stretch conductive fabric comparison post for more detail.
Heathcoat
Include stripes of conductive thread in their knit fabrics.
>> http://www.heathcoat.co.uk/ (UK)
Toray
Integrate X-Static fibers in their woven fabrics, running like needle-stripes.
Toray – Innovation by Chemistry >> http://www.seeitsafe.co.uk/ (UK)
Copper Wire Mesh
A woven copper wire mesh that is fine enough to feel soft, but stiff enough to be bend into shape and is ideal for soldering to.
Copper Fabric with Conductive Adhesive
I don’t know the origins of the following fabric. It is a dark shade of copper, riptop fabric that comes with peel-off adhesive on the back, it is highly conductive and reminds of FlecTron.
Suppliers
>> Hebei Metals & Minerals Corp. Ltd http://www.3ltex.com (China)
>> http://www.plugandwear.com/ (Italy)
>> http://www.lessemf.com/fabric.html (New Jersey, USA)
>> http://eeonyx.com/ (USA)
>> http://www.marktek-inc.com/ (USA) + They also sell EeonTex Conductive Textiles manufactured by Eeonyx
>> http://www.fine-silver-productsnet.com (USA)
>> http://www.seeitsafe.co.uk/ (UK)
>> http://www.heathcoat.co.uk/ (UK)
>> http://www.lairdtech.com
>> http://www.osnf.com/ (USA)
>> http://www.mutr.co.uk/index.php?cPath=6_572 (UK)
>> http://www.3ltex.com/ (China)
>> http://www.sparkfun.com/ (USA)
Shieldex is twice the price of lessemf too, for conductive silver stretch fabric!
Hi. I’m looking for 1-4 square metres of conductive material that can be in direct contact with skin for long periods for a project I am doing.
Could you direct me to anything that would do this job and any price guides you know of?
Many Thanks.
PM
[…] Conductive fabrics […]
Anyone an idea of a conductive fabric to measure body temperature?
Kind Regards
Hi! Great site :)!
I need a conductive fabric that do not fray and is elastic. Do you have any suggestions?