Condensed Consolidated Guarantor Financial Statements (Statement of Comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 825,287	$ 817,056	$ 799,794
Freight billed to customers	3,165	2,396	1,790
Total revenues	828,452	819,452	801,584
Cost of sales	633,267	650,713	633,571
Gross profit	195,185	168,739	168,013
Selling, general and administrative expenses	113,896	105,545	97,390
Special charges	0	(281)	1,802
Income from operations	81,289	63,475	68,821
Other income (expense)	(30,887)	5,228	58,018
Earnings before interest and income taxes	50,402	68,703	126,839
Interest expense	37,727	43,419	45,171
Income before income taxes	12,675	25,284	81,668
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	5,709	1,643	11,582
Net income (loss)	6,966	23,641	70,086
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net income	6,966	23,641	70,086
Comprehensive income (loss)	(5,702)	6,215	74,864
Libbey Inc. (Parent)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0
Freight billed to customers	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Special charges	0	0	0
Income from operations	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0
Earnings before interest and income taxes	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	0	0
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	6,966	23,641	70,086
Net income	6,966	23,641	70,086
Comprehensive income (loss)	(5,702)	6,215	74,864
Libbey Glass (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	421,630	408,561	400,565
Freight billed to customers	579	630	622
Total revenues	422,209	409,191	401,187
Cost of sales	320,175	336,027	329,865
Gross profit	102,034	73,164	71,322
Selling, general and administrative expenses	71,162	60,211	55,245
Special charges	0	(332)	765
Income from operations	30,872	13,285	15,312
Other income (expense)	(30,796)	(2,560)	57,315
Earnings before interest and income taxes	76	10,725	72,627
Interest expense	29,430	32,711	39,717
Income before income taxes	(29,354)	(21,986)	32,910
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	(4,013)	(3,811)	(4,057)
Net income (loss)	(25,341)	(18,175)	36,967
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	32,307	41,816	33,119
Net income	6,966	23,641	70,086
Comprehensive income (loss)	(5,702)	6,215	74,864
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	76,231	74,260	85,996
Freight billed to customers	701	929	883
Total revenues	76,932	75,189	86,879
Cost of sales	55,787	55,455	62,827
Gross profit	21,145	19,734	24,052
Selling, general and administrative expenses	8,829	7,816	9,077
Special charges	0	51	1,037
Income from operations	12,316	11,867	13,938
Other income (expense)	9	3,457	(133)
Earnings before interest and income taxes	12,325	15,324	13,805
Interest expense	0	0	(5)
Income before income taxes	12,325	15,324	13,810
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	5,185	4,016	4,034
Net income (loss)	7,140	11,308	9,776
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net income	7,140	11,308	9,776
Comprehensive income (loss)	7,366	8,756	9,734
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	397,811	404,567	380,912
Freight billed to customers	1,885	837	285
Total revenues	399,696	405,404	381,197
Cost of sales	327,690	329,563	308,558
Gross profit	72,006	75,841	72,639
Selling, general and administrative expenses	33,905	37,518	33,068
Special charges	0	0	0
Income from operations	38,101	38,323	39,571
Other income (expense)	(100)	4,331	836
Earnings before interest and income taxes	38,001	42,654	40,407
Interest expense	8,297	10,708	5,459
Income before income taxes	29,704	31,946	34,948
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	4,537	1,438	11,605
Net income (loss)	25,167	30,508	23,343
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net income	25,167	30,508	23,343
Comprehensive income (loss)	14,155	30,971	17,341
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net sales	(70,385)	(70,332)	(67,679)
Freight billed to customers	0	0	0
Total revenues	(70,385)	(70,332)	(67,679)
Cost of sales	(70,385)	(70,332)	(67,679)
Gross profit	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Special charges	0	0	0
Income from operations	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0
Earnings before interest and income taxes	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0
Income before income taxes	0	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	0	0
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	(39,273)	(65,457)	(103,205)
Net income	(39,273)	(65,457)	(103,205)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (15,819)	$ (45,942)	$ (101,939)