This is actually our second purchase of this same rug. We had the first one for about 5-months and then our dog had some medication-induced accidents on it and it became a lost cause. Repurchased because it is comfortable and fits the nursery it's in. It is a slight off-white color. The second rug came with a very strong chemical smell. The first purchase did not have the same smell. We aired out the room for about 4 days and the smell persisted. I went as far as getting an air quality meter since it's in our baby's room. The formaldehyde levels were actually not that high, still in the safe zone. The smell did dissipate after about 2 weeks although it's still faintly present.