Abstract: Plastic sheet elements (19) having a size and deformation suitable for use as a filling material in pillows, duvets and the like are manufactured by feeding one or more plastic sheets to a shredding apparatus (6) which has a rotating drum (9). Loosely hanging knives (12) are mounted (11) near an outermost edge of the drum (9), and are pivoted outwards during rotation to thereby cut, deform and twist the sheet to form “curly” elements (19), which are sucked out through openings (14) in a screen (8) located below the drum (9). By adjusting the feeding of the sheet (4), the rotation of the drum (9) and the magnitude of the negative pressure, various sizes and configurations of cut individual sheet elements (19) are produced.