In the newest installment of our Curious Objects podcast advice series, Ben Miller speaks with Jordan Heres, co-founder with his wife, Ingrid, of the Charlottesville, Virginia, rug purveyor Weft and Wool. The focus object is a rug from Karaja, Iran, made in about 1900, but Ben and Jordan also tackle such subjects as how often a rug should be washed, why you should never use a beater bar when vacuuming a rug, and where the best rugs can be found (spoiler: it’s Istanbul, but the runner-up might surprise listeners).
Jordan Heres is passionate about the art of handmade rugs, and aims to make his rug curiosity contagious. Weft and Wool, an antique and vintage rug shop that Heres founded with his wife, Ingrid, was born out of a desire to create the sort of business that he would want to buy rugs from, and is rooted in traits he found lacking in the industry: education, honesty, ease of shopping, and fair pricing. Prior to Weft and Wool, Heres worked in international disaster relief and peace and conflict studies. He’s proud to have been born and raised in Hawaii, and credits much of his character and business habits to local culture that prioritizes relationships and rectitude.
