These sheets are soft, and have a subtle sheen to them. The open end of the pillow cases have lines of satin-looking stitching that is more attractive than the photo makes them appear. The pockets are quite deep, and the stitching is well-done. I noticed a stray thread here and there, but only where the end of a row of stitching ends. It's easy to just snip those off. I will definitely buy more sets in the future.