This is just what I need for allergy season! They are incredibly soft, there is a lot of dirt in them and everything is washed out, even blood. They shrink a lot and wrinkle at the edges, but that doesn't affect their use (they still wrinkle in my pockets). used, I think the unique weave really helps. Each folds down to a size slightly smaller than a pocket pack of tissues, replacing the same amount! EDIT: I bought a second set and was surprised at how large and rough they are compared to my current ones. It turns out that after washing they become soft. I know and love the smaller version, although the older ones are even softer.