PURPOSE: To obtain an electromagnetic-wave shielding material having various uses and high practicality by pretreating a polyester substrate with a solvent such as methyl ethyl ketone, roughening the surface of the substrate with acidic and alkaline etching solns. and plating the surface with copper or the like by direct electroless plating.

CONSTITUTION: A polyester substrate is pretreated with one ore more kinds of solvents selected among methyl ethyl ketone, methanol and acetone to remove a fiber bundling agent from the substrate. The substrate is washed, degreased with alkali and washed, and the surface of the substrate is successively roughened with acidic and alkaline etching solns. The substrate is then neutralized and washed, and after catalyst deposition and activation are carried out as usual, the roughened surface is plated with a metal for shielding having high electric conductivity such as copper by direct electroless plating. Thus, an electromagnetic-wave shielding material is obtd. from a polyethylene terephthalate fabric or other fibrous material.