Running it through the rings can help. Wash it, then iron it while it's still damp. Sit on it in the car. If it's warm where you are (so the car gets hot) leave it in the car. It will soften up pretty quickly. I was a total noob when I got mine and didn't realise how stiff it was or that I should soften it up so it was basically pulled out of the box and used as is. It softened up heaps after the first wash and really didn't take long at all to get really soft.