Other Income (Expense) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Component of Other Income (Expense), Nonoperating [Line Items]
Other income (expense)	$ 188		$ 8,031		$ (274)
Net proceeds from sale of Traex	0		12,478		0
Gain on sale of land at Libbey Holland
Component of Other Income (Expense), Nonoperating [Line Items]
Other income (expense)	0		3,445		0
Gain on sale of Traex assets
Component of Other Income (Expense), Nonoperating [Line Items]
Other income (expense)	0	[1]	3,418	[1]	0	[1]
Gain (loss) on currency translation
Component of Other Income (Expense), Nonoperating [Line Items]
Other income (expense)	(780)		(263)		137
Hedge ineffectiveness
Component of Other Income (Expense), Nonoperating [Line Items]
Other income (expense)	265		284		(855)
Other non-operating income (expense)
Component of Other Income (Expense), Nonoperating [Line Items]
Other income (expense)	$ 703		$ 1,147		$ 444

[1] On April 28, 2011, we sold substantially all of the assets of Traex to the Vollrath Company for $12.5 million, resulting in a gain of $3.4 million.