Condensed Consolidated Guarantor Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 67,208	$ 58,291	$ 76,258	$ 55,089
Accounts receivable — net	80,850	88,045
Inventories — net	157,549	145,859
Other current assets	12,997	12,775
Total current assets	318,604	304,970
Other non-current assets	38,624	42,109
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	186,794	187,772
Total other assets	225,418	229,881
Property, plant and equipment — net	258,154	264,718
Total assets	802,176	799,569
Accounts payable	65,712	58,759
Accrued and other current liabilities	95,535	104,231
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	4,583	4,192
Total current liabilities	165,830	167,182
Long-term debt	461,884	393,168
Other long-term liabilities	149,986	211,439
Total liabilities	777,700	771,789
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	24,476	27,780	11,266	(66,907)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	802,176	799,569
Libbey Inc. (Parent)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable — net	0	0
Inventories — net	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
Other non-current assets	0	0
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	24,476	27,780
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	0	0
Total other assets	24,476	27,780
Property, plant and equipment — net	0	0
Total assets	24,476	27,780
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued and other current liabilities	0	0
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	24,476	27,780
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	24,476	27,780
Libbey Glass (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	43,558	39,249	58,277	37,386
Accounts receivable — net	33,987	39,707
Inventories — net	52,627	48,077
Other current assets	17,931	16,913
Total current assets	148,103	143,946
Other non-current assets	22,373	21,609
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	384,414	336,596
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	26,833	26,833
Total other assets	433,620	385,038
Property, plant and equipment — net	72,780	75,951
Total assets	654,503	604,935
Accounts payable	15,339	14,290
Accrued and other current liabilities	63,674	67,953
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	221	227
Total current liabilities	79,234	82,470
Long-term debt	451,090	360,626
Other long-term liabilities	94,434	156,232
Total liabilities	624,758	599,328
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	29,745	5,607
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	654,503	604,935
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	70	155	293	419
Accounts receivable — net	3,560	3,223
Inventories — net	18,477	17,009
Other current assets	810	2,614
Total current assets	22,917	23,001
Other non-current assets	54	8
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	194,316	210,876
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	12,347	12,347
Total other assets	206,717	223,231
Property, plant and equipment — net	298	416
Total assets	229,932	246,648
Accounts payable	2,854	1,840
Accrued and other current liabilities	20,194	20,860
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	23,048	22,700
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	9,691	15,206
Total liabilities	32,739	37,906
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	197,193	208,742
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	229,932	246,648
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	23,580	18,887	17,688	17,284
Accounts receivable — net	43,303	45,115
Inventories — net	86,445	80,773
Other current assets	10,446	10,506
Total current assets	163,774	155,281
Other non-current assets	20,387	24,749
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	(35,962)	(10,116)
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	147,614	148,592
Total other assets	132,039	163,225
Property, plant and equipment — net	185,076	188,351
Total assets	480,889	506,857
Accounts payable	47,519	42,629
Accrued and other current liabilities	27,857	32,676
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	4,362	3,965
Total current liabilities	79,738	79,270
Long-term debt	10,794	32,542
Other long-term liabilities	50,051	44,258
Total liabilities	140,583	156,070
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	340,306	350,787
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	480,889	506,857
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable — net	0	0
Inventories — net	0	0
Other current assets	(16,190)	(17,258)
Total current assets	(16,190)	(17,258)
Other non-current assets	(4,190)	(4,257)
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	(567,244)	(565,136)
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	0	0
Total other assets	(571,434)	(569,393)
Property, plant and equipment — net	0	0
Total assets	(587,624)	(586,651)
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued and other current liabilities	(16,190)	(17,258)
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	(16,190)	(17,258)
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	(4,190)	(4,257)
Total liabilities	(20,380)	(21,515)
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	(567,244)	(565,136)
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$ (587,624)	$ (586,651)