Laundry items (10) are spread out by so-called input machines and placed in their spread-out state onto a feed conveyor, which feeds the spread-out
laundry item into, for example, a mangle. To spread out the
laundry item (10), a spreading device stretches the
front edge (18) of the
laundry item (10). Spreading clamps of the spreading device are selectively moved apart based on a previously measured length of the
front edge (18). Currently, the length of the
front edge (18) of the laundry item (10) is measured in the area of the spreading device. This increases the duration of the spreading process. The invention provides for measuring the length of the front edge (18) of the laundry item (10) before the spreading device, while the laundry item (10) is still suspended in two loading clamps (15) of a loading
station (13).To enable the length of the front edge (18) to be determined without contact from the deepest point (25) of the sag (22) of the front edge (18), the spacing of the loading clips (15) is increased. This ensures that even with larger laundry items (10), a reliable V-shaped sag (22) is formed, the deepest point of which (25) can be reliably determined without contact.