This paper investigates printing functional materials on diverse flexible substrates for rapid detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Inkjet printing and doctor blade coating is performed for rapid manufacturing of the sensing devices. The three different substrates selected are polyethylene terephthalate (PET), cotton fabric and a common A4 type printing paper. The structural and morphological properties of the substrates are exploited to compare the detection of three different types of VOCs, such as acetone, ethanol and isopropanol. Two different concentrations i.e. 4 and 22 ppm (parts per million) of the representative VOCs are applied in the test chamber and corresponding chemoresistance values are recorded using a sourcemeter. This research presents greater contribution in the field of large area, cost-effective and wearable VOCs sensors that are highly demanding both for industrial as well as environmental monitoring.