SEGMENT INFORMATION (Reportable Segments) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 03, 2015	Sep. 27, 2014	Jun. 28, 2014	Mar. 29, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Sep. 28, 2013	Jun. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2013	Jan. 03, 2015	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 869,224,000	$ 798,936,000	$ 574,065,000	$ 651,643,000	$ 769,655,000	$ 760,173,000	$ 517,874,000	$ 591,009,000	$ 2,893,868,000	$ 2,638,711,000	$ 2,381,734,000
Percentage of total net sales									100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Operating income (loss)	114,010,000	110,457,000	47,347,000	61,531,000	73,394,000	91,076,000	32,738,000	66,943,000	333,345,000	264,151,000	261,986,000
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									11.50%	10.00%	11.00%
Corporate expenses									(119,937,000)	(151,523,000)	(96,337,000)
Amortization of H.W. Carter and Sons tradenames									16,500,000	13,800,000	400,000
Office Consolidation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Office consolidation costs									6,600,000
Japan | Japan Retail Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Office consolidation costs									500,000	4,100,000	0
Facility Closing | Office Consolidation
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Office consolidation costs									6,600,000	33,300,000	6,400,000
Facility Closing | Hogansville Distribution Facility
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Office consolidation costs									900,000	1,900,000	3,100,000
H. W. Carter and Sons Tradenames [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Amortization of H.W. Carter and Sons tradenames									16,400,000	13,600,000	0
Bonnie Togs [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Charges associated with the revaluation of contingent consideration									1,348,000	2,825,000	3,589,000
Operating Segments [Member] | Carter's [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									2,169,053,000	1,989,580,000	1,800,354,000
Percentage of total net sales									75.00%	75.40%	75.60%
Operating income (loss)									396,760,000	366,670,000	318,613,000
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									18.30%	18.40%	17.70%
Operating Segments [Member] | OshKosh [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									408,341,000	363,875,000	363,095,000
Percentage of total net sales									14.10%	13.80%	15.20%
Operating income (loss)									17,052,000	8,363,000	(3,666,000)
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									4.20%	2.30%	(1.00%)
Operating Segments [Member] | Wholesale [Member] | Carter's [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,081,888,000	1,035,420,000	981,445,000
Percentage of total net sales									37.40%	39.20%	41.20%
Operating income (loss)									185,463,000	185,501,000	172,673,000
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									17.10%	17.90%	17.60%
Operating Segments [Member] | Wholesale [Member] | OshKosh [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									73,201,000	74,564,000	79,752,000
Percentage of total net sales									2.50%	2.80%	3.30%
Operating income (loss)									8,842,000	9,796,000	4,086,000
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									12.10%	13.10%	5.10%
Operating Segments [Member] | Retail [Member] | Carter's [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									1,087,165,000	954,160,000	818,909,000
Percentage of total net sales									37.60%	36.20%	34.40%
Operating income (loss)									211,297,000	181,169,000	145,940,000
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									19.40%	19.00%	17.80%
Operating Segments [Member] | Retail [Member] | OshKosh [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									335,140,000	289,311,000	283,343,000
Percentage of total net sales									11.60%	11.00%	11.90%
Operating income (loss)									8,210,000	(1,433,000)	(7,752,000)
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									2.40%	(0.50%)	(2.70%)
Operating Segments [Member] | International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales									316,474,000	285,256,000	218,285,000
Percentage of total net sales									10.90%	10.80%	9.20%
Operating income (loss)									$ 39,470,000	$ 40,641,000	$ 43,376,000
Operating income as percentage of segment net sales									12.50%	14.20%	19.90%