insulators
A common method of producing charge in the lab is to rub cat or rabbit fur against stiff rubber, producing a negative charge on the rubber rod. If you hold a rubber rod on one end and rub only the tip of the other end with a fur, you will find that only the tip becomes charged. The electrons you add to the tip of the rod remain where you put them instead of moving around on the rod. Rubber is an insulator. Insulators are substances that do not allow electrons to move through them. Glass, dry wood, most plastics, cloth, and dry air are common insulators. Materials that allow electrons to flow freely are called conductors. Metals have at least one electron that can move around freely, and all metals are conductors.