Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Jun. 30, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include Libbey Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively, Libbey or the Company). Our fiscal year end is December 31^st. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from management’s estimates.
Revenue Recognition and Cost of Sales, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) Net sales in our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss) include revenue earned when products are shipped and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer. Revenue is recorded net of returns, discounts and incentives offered to customers. Cost of sales includes cost to manufacture and/or purchase products, warehouse, shipping and delivery costs and other costs.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Foreign Currency Translation Assets and liabilities of non-U.S. subsidiaries that operate in a local currency environment, where that local currency is the functional currency, are translated to U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date, with the resulting translation adjustments directly recorded to a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Income and expense accounts are translated at average exchange rates during the year. The effect of exchange rate changes on transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency is recorded in other (expense) income.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for estimated future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and tax attribute carry-forwards. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification™ (FASB ASC) Topic 740, “Income Taxes,” requires that a valuation allowance be recorded when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred income tax assets will not be realized. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are determined separately for each tax jurisdiction in which we conduct our operations or otherwise incur taxable income or losses. In the United States, China, the Netherlands and Portugal, we have recorded valuation allowances against our deferred income tax assets. See note 6 for further discussion. FASB ASC 740-20, "Income Taxes - Intraperiod Tax Allocation," requires that the provision for income taxes be allocated between continuing operations and other categories of earnings (such as discontinued operations or other comprehensive income) for each tax jurisdiction. In periods in which there is a year-to-date pre-tax loss from continuing operations and pre-tax income in other categories of earnings, the tax provision is first allocated to the other categories of earnings.
Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]	Stock-Based Compensation Expense We account for stock-based compensation expense in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718, “Compensation — Stock Compensation,” and FASB ASC Topic 505-50, “Equity — Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees”. Stock-based compensation cost is measured based on the fair value of the equity instruments issued. FASB ASC Topics 718 and 505-50 apply to all of our outstanding unvested stock-based payment awards.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	New Accounting Standards In May 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRSs” (ASU 2011-04). ASU 2011-04 explains how to measure fair value and improves the comparability of fair value measurements presented and disclosed in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 does not require additional fair value measurements, and it is not intended to establish valuation standards or affect valuation practices outside of financial reporting. The provisions of this update are effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of this accounting pronouncement did not have a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income” (ASU 2011-05). This ASU requires companies to present items of net income, items of other comprehensive income and total comprehensive income in one continuous statement or two separate but consecutive statements. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2011. In December 2011, ASU 2011-05 was modified by the issuance of Accounting Standards Update 2011-12, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05” (ASU 2011-12), which defers certain paragraphs of ASU 2011-05 that would require reclassifications of items from other comprehensive income to net income by component of net income and by component of other comprehensive income. Required interim disclosures have been made in our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements at June 30, 2012. In September 2011, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Goodwill for Impairment” (ASU 2011-08). ASU 2011-08 allows for an option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. If the qualitative factors result in the fair value exceeding the carrying value of a reporting unit, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary. This update is effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The provisions of this update did not have any impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In July 2012, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2012-02, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment” (ASU 2012-02). ASU 2012-02 allows for an option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its carrying amount. If the qualitative factors result in the fair value exceeding the carrying value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset, then the fair value does not need to be calculated. This update is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. We do not expect the provisions of the update to have any impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]	When applicable, diluted shares outstanding include the dilutive impact of warrants and restricted stock units. Diluted shares also include the impact of in-the-money employee stock options, which are calculated based on the average share price for each fiscal period using the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, the tax-effected proceeds that hypothetically would be received from the exercise of all in-the-money options are assumed to be used to repurchase shares.
Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Derivatives We utilize derivative financial instruments to hedge certain interest rate risks associated with our long-term debt, commodity price risks associated with forecasted future natural gas requirements and foreign exchange rate risks associated with transactions denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar. Most of these derivatives, except for the foreign currency contracts, qualify for hedge accounting since the hedges are highly effective, and we have designated and documented contemporaneously the hedging relationships involving these derivative instruments. While we intend to continue to meet the conditions for hedge accounting, if hedges do not qualify as highly effective or if we do not believe that forecasted transactions would occur, the changes in the fair value of the derivatives used as hedges would be reflected in our earnings. All of these contracts were accounted for under FASB ASC 815 “Derivatives and Hedging.”
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Our measure of profit for our reportable segments is Segment Earnings before Interest and Taxes (Segment EBIT) and excludes amounts related to certain items we consider not representative of ongoing operations as well as certain retained corporate costs. We use Segment EBIT, along with net sales and selected cash flow information, to evaluate performance and to allocate resources. Segment EBIT for reportable segments includes an allocation of some corporate expenses based on both a percentage of sales and direct billings based on the costs of services performed. Certain activities not related to any particular reportable segment are reported within retained corporate costs. These costs include certain headquarter, administrative and facility costs, and other costs that are global in nature and are not allocable to the reporting segments. Corporate assets primarily include finance fees, capitalized software and income tax assets. The accounting policies of the reportable segments are the same as those described in note 2. We do not have any customers who represent 10 percent or more of total sales. Inter-segment sales are consummated at arm’s length and are reflected in eliminations below.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Policy [Policy Text Block]	The fair values of our commodity futures natural gas contracts and currency contracts are determined using observable market inputs. The fair value of our interest rate agreement is based on the market standard methodology of netting the discounted expected future fixed cash receipts and the discounted future variable cash payments. The variable cash payments are based on an expectation of future interest rates derived from observed market interest rate forward curves. Since these inputs are observable in active markets over the terms that the instruments are held, the derivatives are classified as Level 2 in the hierarchy. We also evaluate Company and counterparty risk in determining fair values. The commodity futures natural gas contracts and interest rate agreements are hedges of either recorded assets or liabilities or anticipated transactions.