When I received the Cotton Sheet set, I'm not sure if it was the packaging it was in or what but it did not smell pleasant, but after one wash it was back to brand new. The color tends to be on the more yellow side of ivory versus a more creamier color. Even after one wash the sheet set still feels somewhat scratchy to me. The material isn't as soft as I had hoped and I am not sure if I want to put this set on my guest bed or not. The photo below is not the best, but I was hoping to showcase the more "yellowy" color compared to my off-white bedspread.