This is a fantastic mattress protector. The material is soft but obviously thick to provide adequate protection from allergens and bedbugs as well as heavy soiling. Mattress protectors are a must in our house as well have 3 small children and all suffer from allergies but we also like to keep our mattresses clean. This AllerEase mattress protector was easy to get on and looks as though it would hold up really well after washes and in the long run. Also no horrible plastic crinkling like most other mattress protectors out there.