Apparatus and method for folding and stacking napkins

An apparatus for folding sheet articles and stacking the folded sheet articles in a stack, comprising:

• a folding device for outputting a first set of folded sheet articles having a first fold and a second set of sheet articles having a second fold, wherein said first and second folds are longitudinal folds made along a longitudinal line on each of the sheet articles substantially parallel to a feed direction of the sheet articles;
• first and second quarter fold devices for respectively folding the sheet articles received from said first and second folders along a first transverse fold line;
• an eighth fold device for folding the sheet articles received from said first and second quarter fold devices along a second transverse fold line;
• and
• a transport device for transporting the first and second sheet articles from the eighth fold device to the stack and alternatingly feeding the first and second articles to the stack, the first and second folds of said first and second articles being output from the folding device so that the first and second folds are arranged on opposing sides of the stack by said transport device.