An apparatus for recovering bulkiness of a nonwoven fabric by blowing hot air and heating the nonwoven fabric transferred in a transfer direction, includes a case member that has both end portions in the transfer direction opened; an entrance and an exit provided to openings on opposite end sides, in the transfer direction, of the case member to transfer the nonwoven fabric; and a blast opening provided on the entrance side of the case member for blasting hot air inside the case member toward the exit. Inside the case member, a sectional area at a first position downstream of the blast opening is wider than at a second position located between the blast opening and the first position. Hot air blasted from the blast opening flows downstream through the first and second positions while coming into contact with one of two faces of the nonwoven fabric inside the case member.