CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 510,947	$ 454,143	$ 1,494,392	$ 1,328,715
Cost of goods sold	382,228	318,887	1,075,051	967,744
Gross profit	128,719	135,256	419,341	360,971
Operating expenses:
Research and development	10,325	9,693	30,429	30,383
Selling, general, and administrative	42,579	42,769	124,436	135,845
Depreciation and amortization	34,307	31,977	102,040	93,913
Operating income	41,508	50,817	162,436	100,830
Disposition and exit of business activities	0	0	0	40,001
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(15,632)	0	(35,370)	(13,423)
Earnings of unconsolidated joint venture	125	94	370	274
Interest expense, net	(33,017)	(33,870)	(101,766)	(101,450)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(7,016)	17,041	25,670	26,232
Income tax benefit (expense)	2,165	(2,198)	(2,907)	83,024
Consolidated net income (loss)	(4,851)	14,843	22,763	109,256
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	818	717	5,178	1,792
Net income (loss) attributable to Kraton	$ (4,033)	$ 15,560	$ 27,941	$ 111,048
Earnings (loss) per common share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ (0.13)	$ 0.50	$ 0.90	$ 3.60
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (0.13)	$ 0.49	$ 0.88	$ 3.56
Weighted average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	30,625	30,221	30,548	30,137
Diluted (in share)	30,625	30,783	31,006	30,557