Further, due to the high cost of palladium there is a need for a palladium-free activator. A non-precious metal activator useful for obtaining uniform, adherent coatings of metal layers on plastic substrates has been developed. The resultant colloidal solution is active and believed to adsorb on the hydrophilic surfaces of the etched plastic. A specific reducing agent is used to transform the adsorbed complex into a conductive layer which allows the plating of subsequent conducting metal layers. The possibilities of direct electroplating (without an electroless step) are also discussed.