Wool: High-end wool comes from sheep in New Zealand or the Himalayas, and is strong enough to last for years and years with occasional professional rug cleaning. Be careful, though, about buying an inexpensive wool rug that’s gone through a lot of chemical processing, Lisa Wagner told us, as it can “shed horribly.” As a general rule of thumb, Wagner said, you should stay away from tufted wool rugs, often made in India. “These will be rugs that have material covering up the back because they are glued together,” she explained, and in addition to that shortcut, they are often composed of lower-quality wool. One of our picks, the Hay Raw Rug, is made of tufted wool, and while it does shed, we think it’s an acceptable amount, but we note it’s better suited for low traffic areas.