September 4, 2025

Low and high EMF frequencies – What happens when they hit the fabric?

When people think about EMF (electromagnetic fields), they often imagine only Wi-Fi or 5G radiation. But in reality, EMFs span a wide range of frequencies—from the low-frequency fields coming from household electricity to the high-frequency radiation emitted by cell towers and satellites. At SHIELD, we design clothing with silver and nickel fibers that help shield your body across this spectrum.

Low Frequencies: Power Lines, Appliances, and Electrical Wiring

Range: 50–60 Hz (household electricity) up to a few kHz.
Sources: Power lines, transformers, household wiring, appliances, and motors.
Why they matter: These lower frequencies create magnetic and electric fields that penetrate deeply into living tissue. Long-term exposure has been studied for potential links to sleep disturbance, headaches, and other biological effects.

How clothing helps:
Silver and nickel fibers are conductive, which means they can reduce electric fields at these lower frequencies. While magnetic fields at extremely low frequencies are harder to block with fabrics, clothing acts as a shielding barrier to reduce electric field exposure and helps limit your body’s overall load.

What happens when the frequencies hit the fabric?
The conductive fibers redistribute the electric charge along the fabric’s surface. Instead of passing through to your body, much of the energy is redirected and dissipated across the outer layer of the clothing—keeping it away from your skin.

High Frequencies: Wi-Fi, 5G, and Microwave Radiation

Range: MHz to GHz (millions to billions of cycles per second).
Sources: Cell towers, Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth devices, smart meters, 4G/5G signals.
Why they matter: At these higher frequencies, EMFs behave more like microwaves. They don’t penetrate as deeply into the body but are absorbed by skin and surface tissues. Many people report sensitivity to these signals, especially with the rollout of new 5G networks.

How clothing helps:
This is where ShieldApparels fabrics really shine. Silver and nickel fibers form a Faraday cage effect, reflecting and absorbing high-frequency EMF radiation.

What happens when the frequencies hit the fabric?

A portion of the signal is reflected back outward, bouncing off the metallic surface.
Another portion is absorbed and converted into tiny amounts of heat within the fabric itself (completely harmless, since the energy is extremely low).
Very little, if any, penetrates through the dense conductive mesh—creating a protective “EMF shadow” underneath the clothing.

Independent lab tests show our garments provide shielding effectiveness across 10 MHz to 40 GHz—covering nearly the full range of modern wireless technology.

Why Silver or Nickel?

Silver fibers: Excellent conductor, naturally antimicrobial, lightweight, and soft on the skin.
Nickel fibers: Strong, durable, and provide additional conductivity for consistent shielding.
Together, they create a protective fabric mesh that acts as a barrier without sacrificing comfort or breathability.

What About Openings Like the Neck or Sleeves?

A common question we hear is: “If EMF can get in through the neck hole, does the shielding still work?”

Here’s the key:

Shielding clothing works by reducing overall exposure, not necessarily by creating a perfect sealed bubble.
Openings such as the neck, sleeves, or hem can allow some EMF to enter, especially at higher frequencies where waves behave more like light and can “shine through” gaps.
However, once those waves hit the silver and nickel fabric, most of the energy is reflected, absorbed, or redirected away from your body.

Think of it like wearing a raincoat in a storm. If water can splash in through the collar, that doesn’t make the raincoat useless — it still blocks the majority of rainfall and keeps you far drier than if you weren’t wearing it at all. In the same way, ShieldApparels clothing significantly reduces the amount of EMF your body absorbs, even if some exposure can occur through openings.

For people who want extra protection, combining multiple garments (for example, a hoodie with a high collar + pants) creates more coverage and reduces the size of those openings.