EMF Shielding Fabric UK: How to Choose and Use Faraday Fabric

EMF shielding fabric is a textile woven or knitted with metal-coated threads – usually silver, copper or a blend – that reflects and absorbs radio-frequency (RF) signals such as Wi-Fi, mobile and 5G. In the UK it's mostly bought by the metre to make curtains, bed canopies and room dividers. Good fabrics state their attenuation in decibels (dB) at named frequencies; around 35–40dB means roughly 99.97–99.99% of the RF signal is blocked when the fabric fully covers the gap.

This guide explains how Faraday fabric works, how to compare the options, how to use it at home and how to look after it so it keeps working. If you're still deciding whether you need shielding at all, read our guide to choosing an EMF meter first – measuring comes before buying fabric.

What is Faraday fabric, and how does it block RF?

A Faraday cage is an enclosure made of conductive material that stops RF passing through it. Faraday fabric applies the same idea to a flexible textile. Fine metallised threads create a conductive mesh; when an RF wave hits it, most of the energy is reflected and some is absorbed, so much less reaches the other side.

Three things decide how well a fabric shields:

• The metal. Silver and copper are the most conductive common coatings. Many consumer fabrics use silver-coated copper threads blended with cotton or polyester.
• The construction. Tighter weaves leave smaller gaps for RF to pass through.
• The frequency. A fabric that blocks 40dB at 2.4GHz Wi-Fi may block less at higher 5G frequencies. Always check which frequencies a dB figure applies to.

A July 2025 review of conductive textiles in the Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics pulls together lab results across dozens of studies and backs this up. Metal-plated woven fabrics generally performed best, at roughly 30–85dB depending on the coating and frequency; knitted fabrics mostly sat lower, around 1–40dB; and adding layers improved results across every structure. The authors also note that how well a coating stays attached to the fibres can limit its lifespan – which is why care instructions matter (more on that below).

EMF shielding fabric UK: how to compare the options

When you compare RF shielding fabric, look past the marketing and check five things on the specification:

• Attenuation in dB, with a frequency range. “Blocks 99%” without a frequency means very little.
• Width. Wider rolls mean fewer seams, and seams are where RF leaks.
• Transparency. Sheer fabrics let light through for windows but usually shield less.
• Washability. Important for anything near a bed.
• Surface. Some fabrics have an electrically isolated (coated) surface; others are conductive on the outside. That affects earthing and how you join panels.

Swiss Shield fabric vs bobbinet: which to choose?

Here's how the fabrics in our shielding fabric range compare, using the manufacturers' stated figures:

• NATURELL™ by Swiss-Shield® – 82% cotton with silvered copper thread, 250cm wide, 40dB from 300MHz to 6GHz (20dB at 6–12GHz). The natural-feel option for bed canopies and curtains.
• VOILE™ by Swiss-Shield® – white, highly transparent polyester voile, 250cm wide, 38dB. Made for net curtains where you still want daylight.
• EVOLUTION-ULTRA™ by Swiss-Shield® – light grey, semi-transparent polyester blend, 200cm wide, 36dB. A lower cost per square metre for larger projects.
• Silver Bobbinet™ – the most transparent option, averaging 18dB from 2–8GHz. Light and portable, but it shields far less than the others.

As a rule of thumb, choose by where the fabric goes. Canopies and curtains in a bedroom suit a high-dB fabric such as NATURELL; windows where light matters suit VOILE; occasional or travel use suits a lighter fabric.

Does Faraday fabric block radiation from every direction?

No – and this is the most common misunderstanding. Fabric only shields what's on the other side of it. A curtain over a window reduces RF coming through that window, but not through the walls either side. A canopy shields well only when it's a complete enclosure, including underneath the mattress, because RF finds its way through gaps. It also works both ways: phones and Wi-Fi inside a well-shielded space will struggle to connect, and a phone with weak signal transmits harder.

Shielding fabric also only works on RF. It does very little against low-frequency magnetic fields from wiring or appliances, which need distance rather than textiles.

How to use EMF shielding fabric at home

Faraday fabric curtains

Make the curtain wider and longer than the window so it overlaps the frame by at least 10–15cm on each side and at the top. Use full-width panels where possible; if you need to join panels, overlap them generously rather than butting edges together.

Bed canopies

A canopy needs to reach the floor all round and be paired with shielding under the bed. If you'd rather not sew one, our ready-made EMF bed canopies are cut and finished for standard bed sizes.

Faraday fabric sheets and room dividers

Hung panels can screen a desk or cot from a known source, such as a router on the other side of a wall. They're less effective than shielding the source side of the wall, but quick and reversible.

Do you need to earth shielding fabric?

Check the manufacturer's guidance for your specific fabric: fabrics with an electrically isolated surface, such as the Swiss-Shield range, are described by the maker as non-conductive on the surface. Any conductive shielding that is earthed must be connected by a qualified electrician, never to a socket's earth pin with a home-made lead.

How to check your fabric is working

• Take a reading with an RF meter at the spot you want to protect, at the height you'd sit or sleep.
• Hang or fit the fabric.
• Take another reading in the same spot with the same devices on.
• Look for gaps: readings that stay high often point to a short hem, an open seam or an uncovered side.

Our EMF detectors range includes RF meters suitable for checking fabric before and after.

How to wash and care for shielding fabric

Metallised threads are robust but not indestructible. For Swiss-Shield fabrics, the guidance is a gentle 30°C cycle with a mild detergent free from enzymes and bleach, low-temperature drying and a cool iron without steam. No bleach, fabric softener or dry-cleaning. Hand-wash delicate pieces. Rough handling and harsh detergents wear the coating, so a canopy that's washed carefully will keep its performance far longer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best EMF shielding fabric in the UK?

For bedrooms, a high-attenuation fabric of around 38–40dB with a frequency range that covers Wi-Fi and 5G. NATURELL and EVO-ULTRA are our most popular choices for canopies and curtains respectively.

Does Faraday fabric block 5G?

Most UK 5G currently runs at 3.4–3.8GHz, which is within the range of most shielding fabrics. Check the fabric's stated dB at higher frequencies if that matters to you.

Can I make clothing from EMF fabric?

The fabrics above are designed for curtains and canopies, not garments. Ready-made shielding clothing is a different category with its own trade-offs.

How much Faraday fabric do I need for a curtain?

Measure the window, add 10–15cm overlap on each side and at the top, and allow extra for gathering. A 250cm-wide fabric often covers a standard window in one piece without seams.

Plan your fabric project

Start by measuring, then choose the fabric that suits the space. Browse our EMF shielding fabric range, or get in touch with your window or bed measurements and we'll help you work out how much you need.

This guide describes the measurable RF shielding performance of textiles; it makes no health claims. UK and international health bodies do not consider harm established at exposures below international guidelines.