Are unbleached indian pf's that much softer than bleached chinese pf's?

[Limabean1975]

I need to purchase some more prefolds. Currently I have retired diaper service bleached chinese prefolds. I keep hearing that unbleached indian prefolds are really soft...and I do wish for a softer pf.
It looks like it would cost 3 or more times MORE for new unbleached indian versus more retired diaper service whites.

Are they *significantly* softer?

[yamilee21]

They don't seem *that* much softer to me, but what I have found is that our Indian unbleached prefolds are far more durable than the Chinese "half-bleached" and the Chinese unbleached prefolds we have. The Indian prefolds show virtually no signs of wear after 4 years, whereas the Chinese unbleached have little thread-bare spots and the Chinese half-bleached are full of holes, even though they were the least used. If you are planning to use them on future children especially, the Indian unbleached are likely worth the investment.

[Limabean1975]

I don't think I'll be using them for future children (not sure!), and the retired diaper service ones I have are threadbare anyway! I guess one thing is since some of them are quite thin they would be less absorbent than the indian ones.

[green_momma2007]

I did not find them that much better. BEsides, once you use the Chinese ones for a while they become pretty soft too.

[Ifluffedthree]

they are somewhat softer.

[Galatea]

I think they are softer.

[Limabean1975]

THose that think they are softer - soft enough to be worth three times the price of the used ones? (And mine are as so well used I'm sure they've reached maximum softness).

[nia82]

They are softer and I highly prefer them over my bleached Indian pfs. I bought factory seconds at clothdiaper.com.
I don't know the price for the used ones you can get, but I paid $10 for a dozen 4x8x4 infant PFs and $14 for a dozen premium PFs. I think that's dirt cheap.
I won't buy bleached ones ever again.

[broodymama]

My unbleached IPFs are a lot softer than my bleached CPFs. Even though my bleached CPFs are much older (I bought them when DS was a babe), they just aren't as soft. I like my UBIPFs much better.

[Limabean1975]

Originally Posted by nia82

They are softer and I highly prefer them over my bleached Indian pfs. I bought factory seconds at clothdiaper.com.
I don't know the price for the used ones you can get, but I paid $10 for a dozen 4x8x4 infant PFs and $14 for a dozen premium PFs. I think that's dirt cheap.
I won't buy bleached ones ever again.

That is cheap! If it's from the US (I'm in Canada) the price will go up with currency exchange, customs duties, etc. But I will look into it. The used ones I have were $1.25 a piece (infant - don't know the price of the bigger ones yet).

eta: I just looked. Shipping is $38.00!!!! Yoinks.