With brick-and-mortar stores closed across the country, shopping online is now the new normal. But since you can no longer ask someone for in-person advice, how do you know what to look for when purchasing something like a rug, where the touch and feel of it is so important? We asked Ben Soleimani, a fourth-generation rug magnate who is known for his innovations and expertise in the rug industry, to help us out. Here, Soleimani gives us the lowdown behind five major rug styles and explains what makes each one so special.

MOROCCAN RUGS

“When buying a Moroccan rug, it’s really important to look for good yarn quality,” Soleimani says. “One hundred percent New Zealand wool is always the best quality for Moroccans. Also, you want to make sure you buy a rug with two inches of rug pile—if it’s good yarn, the rug is going to last forever and be more plush. It will also shed less.”

PERFORMANCE RUGS

“Performance rugs have the same durability as other rugs, but they are more cleanable,” Soleimani says. “Today, we want things that are fast and easy—you drop something on your rug, you want to be able to wipe it right off. To do this and keep the same quality of a non-performance rug, a lot of technique goes into making the yarn look and feel like wool, but instead we use a man-made product that doesn’t absorb stains.”

ANTIQUE RUGS

“Nothing can replace the way that nature oxidizes and matures the yarn of an antique. It’s like life. Antique rugs have a weathered look that happens over time and can’t be replicated,” Soleimani says. “They are one of a kind and absolutely what you should buy if you want something unique.”

PERFORMANCE RUGS

“Performance rugs have the same durability as other rugs, but they are more cleanable,” Soleimani says. “Today, we want things that are fast and easy—you drop something on your rug, you want to be able to wipe it right off. To do this and keep the same quality of a non-performance rug, a lot of technique goes into making the yarn look and feel like wool, but instead we use a man-made product that doesn’t absorb stains.”

ANTIQUE RUGS

“Nothing can replace the way that nature oxidizes and matures the yarn of an antique. It’s like life. Antique rugs have a weathered look that happens over time and can’t be replicated,” Soleimani says. “They are one of a kind and absolutely what you should buy if you want something unique.”

MODERN CLASSIC

“I’ve seen a trend in returning to simplicity,” Soleimani says. “People don’t want the old, busy patterned rugs of yesterday. Instead they want traditional patterns simplified so that they are more practical to live with. It’s about the quality of the material used versus the intricacy of the design.”

CUSTOM RUGS

“Customization is the way to personalize your rug and get exactly what you want. You can create a custom size or design just for you. Eighty percent of what interior designers do is custom, as they aren’t buying stuff off the rack. This is how you can make your rug fit the exact need that you have.”