Grounding Strap 101: Shoe grounders use the conductivity of carbon to bring electrons to the ground and ensures that you are electrically bonded to the floor. Connected to the rubber heel is a conductive thread that tucks into your sock. The thread draws static electricity from your skin's surface so that it grounds static clinging to you. The way this works is that as the black carbon-loaded heel ground makes contact with the floor, the electricity that was static on you is discharged into the grounded surface.