<p>In this study, supramolecular metallohydrogels were successfully prepared by mixing disodium sulfodehydroabietate (SD) with various metal ions. The chemical structure of SD–Cu²⁺ hydrogel was thoroughly characterized. FT-IR measurements revealed that coordination interactions are the primary driving force behind the formation of the SD–Cu²⁺ hydrogel. The nanofiber structure of the SD–Cu²⁺ hydrogel was visualized using FESEM and TEM. In contrast to hydrogels prepared with other metal ions, the hydrogel formed by Cu²⁺ and SD demonstrated self-shrinking behavior with a three-dimensional shape memory capability, suggesting that the hydrogel undergoes selective shrinkage in the presence of Cu²⁺.The results showed that the obtained SD–Cu²⁺ hydrogel exhibited multi-stimuli-responsive behaviors and self-healing properties. The presence of Cu²⁺ ions enhanced the conductivity of the SD–Cu²⁺ hydrogel (11.29 mS·cm^− 1). In conclusion, the SD–Cu²⁺ hydrogel is a promising material for the fabrication of advanced smart materials. </p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>