They are soft. Had a little trouble getting the sheet on the bed. I had ordered extra deep pockets, one of the sheets was extra deep but the other was not. Naturally that is the one I picked up. I had washed both sheets and they are supposed to be the same color but there is a slight difference.  Anyway, when I was on the last corner, the elastic piece that is supposed to help hold it on, broke, indicating to me the sheet needed to be the extra deep size. Since it is already on the bed and has been washed, I will keep it. That is the reason it didn't get 5 stars. Actually, the problem is not with the sheet itself but with who  ever shipped it.