fabric & material resistance
resistance reference for common e-textile materials — conductive fabrics, resistive films, threads, and insulators.
filter by use
silver-coated knit fabric
< 1 Ω/sqconductorground
soft, stretchy, great for ground planes and large conductive areas. tarnishes over time.
source: less EMF, shieldex✦ washable
copper ripstop fabric
< 0.1 Ω/sqconductorground
very low resistance, not stretchy. good for flat traces and shielding.
source: adafruit, lessemf✕ not washable
nickel-coated fabric
< 1 Ω/sqconductorground
durable, less prone to tarnish than silver. stiffer hand.
source: lessemf, sparkfun✕ not washable
stainless steel knit
1–10 Ω/sqconductor
durable and washable. slightly higher resistance than silver but more robust long-term.
source: bekaert, v technical textiles✦ washable
velostat / linqstat
10k–100k Ω/sqsensor
pressure-sensitive resistive film. resistance decreases under pressure — perfect for soft pressure sensors.
source: adafruit, lessemf✕ not washable
eeonyx resistive fabric
1k–20k Ω/sqsensor
stretchable resistive fabric. resistance changes with stretch — useful for bend and flex sensors.
source: eeonyx.com✦ washable
resistive foam (anti-static)
10k–1M Ω/sqsensor
the pink foam that ICs ship in. cheap pressure sensor material for prototyping.
source: electronics suppliers, repurposed packaging✕ not washable
copper tape (with conductive adhesive)
< 0.01 Ω/sqconductor
not fabric but useful for hybrid soft/hard circuits. rigid, not sewable. good for paper circuits.
source: adafruit, chibitronics✕ not washable
conductive thread (2-ply stainless)
27.6 Ω/mconductor
most common maker thread. see the conductive thread calculator for full specs.
source: adafruit✦ washable
regular felt
— non-conductiveinsulator
non-conductive. great substrate for soft circuits. easy to sew and cut.
source: craft stores✦ washable
cotton fabric
— non-conductiveinsulator
non-conductive when dry. can conduct slightly when wet — keep circuits away from sweat zones.
source: fabric stores✦ washable
neoprene
— non-conductiveinsulator
non-conductive, water-resistant. good for wearables that need structure.
source: fabric stores✦ washable
reading the units
Ω/sq (ohms per square) — for flat fabrics. resistance is the same regardless of the size of the square — only the aspect ratio (length ÷ width) matters.
Ω/m (ohms per meter) — for thread and linear materials. resistance scales directly with length.
all values are typical ranges — measure your specific material with a multimeter for precision. resistance changes with washing, wear, and oxidation.