I have now purchased a second of these rugs after loving the first. They are a beautifully raised off-white & gray wool rug. They do shed, but after vacuuming a few times, it’s lessened considerably. I noticed no odor. They’ve held up well to months of daily use. Both are under a bed, so I only used a grip rug pad, but if they were in a living room, etc, I would recommend a more plush pad for comfort.