To eliminate such problems that when a rectangular cloth piece after being washed and dried is fed to, e.g. a folding device at a laundry factory, conventionally a worker manually places the cloth piece on a throw-in conveyor while extending it sheet by sheet, and the extending work is troublesome, and also, the work efficiency is unfavorable.

An optional location of the rectangular cloth piece Y under a rounded state is held, and the cloth piece Y is suspended. Then, the suspended cloth piece is dragged in the horizontal direction, and the vicinity of the final end of the cloth piece is held, and the cloth piece is vertically hung. Then, the cloth piece is laid in the horizontal direction, and two locations of the laid cloth piece are held at the same height. While the two locations are being held, the hung section of the cloth piece is placed on a conveyor 8, and one side edge Yb on the longer edge side of the cloth piece is made to appear on the conveyor. Then, the longer edge section of the cloth piece appeared on the conveyor is placed on a roller 9 under an astride state. Two locations being closer to respective end sections of one side edge Yc on the shorter edge side of the cloth piece which is placed on the roller are held, and the cloth piece is suspended under an extended state. Thus, the rectangular cloth piece can be automatically extended.