I was apprehensive about using a rug that is made from a naturally course element however, this rug has been a pleasant addition to our sitting room’s farmhouse decor.  We have a dog and it has held up nicely to her rambunctious play.  I was concerned with how the large woven fibers would stand up to the rotating brush of our Dyson vacuum, but it has been no problem at all. Of course, it took a few days of placing books on the corners to flatten the rug after being unrolled for the first time and there was the odor, but it was a natural, (not chemical), scent—it is made of natural fibers after all—and it dissipated quickly.