A method for manufacturing a disposable worn article including: a diaper body including a front portion covering a front side of a wearer, a back portion covering a back side of the wearer, and a crotch portion between the front portion and the back portion; and a pair of side panels connecting the front portion and the back portion in a girth direction, the method comprising: a step of carrying a continuous web to be the disposable worn article in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the girth direction; a severing step of severing the continuous web along a virtual first line extending in the girth direction so as to sever the continuous web into individual worn articles; a first folding step of folding, by a body folding apparatus, the diaper body along a virtual second line extending in the girth direction so that a skin-contact surface of the front portion and a skin-contact surface of the back portion lie on each other, the body folding apparatus including a rotating cutter for severing the continuous web into individual diapers, and a plurality of pairs of suction pads and that rotate about the rotation center, in the first folding step, the pair of suction pads and receiving the diaper in an open position, then moving into a closed position where the suction pads and are close to each other to fold the diaper body, moving into a position where the suction pads and are open while holding the diaper on one suction pad for handing the drapen over to the side panel folding apparatus; and a second folding step of folding, by a side panel folding apparatus, the pair of side panels so that the pair of side panels of the diaper handed over from the body folding apparatus to the side panel folding apparatus lie on a non-skin-contact surface of the back portion or the front portion, the side panel folding apparatus including a first pad, a pair of second pads, and a drum, a plurality of the first pads being provided on the drum, the second pads being provided on opposite ends of the first pad in the axis direction, and being provided so that they can rotate about a second rotation shaft extending in the tangential direction of the drum, wherein in the second folding step, while the diaper body is held on the first pad and while the side panels are held on second pads rotating in a folding direction in which the side panels are folded with respect to the first pad, the second pads rotate in the folding direction toward the first pad so that the second pads lie on the first pad, thereby the pair of side panels being folded. a step of carrying a continuous web to be the disposable worn article in a longitudinal direction perpendicular to the girth direction; a severing step of severing the continuous web along a virtual first line extending in the girth direction so as to sever the continuous web into individual worn articles; a first folding step of folding, by a body folding apparatus, the diaper body along a virtual second line extending in the girth direction so that a skin-contact surface of the front portion and a skin-contact surface of the back portion lie on each other, the body folding apparatus including a rotating cutter for severing the continuous web into individual diapers, and a plurality of pairs of suction pads and that rotate about the rotation center, in the first folding step, the pair of suction pads and receiving the diaper in an open position, then moving into a closed position where the suction pads and are close to each other to fold the diaper body, moving into a position where the suction pads and are open while holding the diaper on one suction pad for handing the drapen over to the side panel folding apparatus; and a second folding step of folding, by a side panel folding apparatus, the pair of side panels so that the pair of side panels of the diaper handed over from the body folding apparatus to the side panel folding apparatus lie on a non-skin-contact surface of the back portion or the front portion, the side panel folding apparatus including a first pad, a pair of second pads, and a drum, a plurality of the first pads being provided on the drum, the second pads being provided on opposite ends of the first pad in the axis direction, and being provided so that they can rotate about a second rotation shaft extending in the tangential direction of the drum, wherein in the second folding step, while the diaper body is held on the first pad and while the side panels are held on second pads rotating in a folding direction in which the side panels are folded with respect to the first pad, the second pads rotate in the folding direction toward the first pad so that the second pads lie on the first pad, thereby the pair of side panels being folded.