Abstract: Shrinking apparatus for heating and shrinking articles such as disused molded articles of thermoplastic expanded resin by a plurality of far-infrared heaters, thereby to reduce the articles in bulk. In the shrinking apparatus, the distances between article conveying device and the far-infrared heaters opposite thereto are gradually reduced in a direction from the furnace inlet to the furnace outlet such that the far infrared rays are efficiently irradiated onto the articles of which entire height is gradually lowered.