Condensed Consolidated Guarantor Financial Statements (Cash Flow Statements) (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 income	$ 6,966	$ 23,641	$ 70,086
Depreciation and amortization	41,471	42,188	41,115
Other operating activities	(39,940)	(10,478)	(63,502)
Net cash provided by operating activities	8,497	55,351	47,699
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(32,720)	(41,420)	(28,247)
Other investing activities	647	17,700	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(32,073)	(23,720)	(28,247)
Net borrowings (repayments)	68,118	(53,743)	24,902
Other financing activities	(35,846)	4,275	(22,614)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	32,272	(49,468)	2,288
Exchange effect on cash	221	(130)	(571)
Increase (decrease) in cash	8,917	(17,967)	21,169
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	58,291	76,258	55,089
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	67,208	58,291	76,258
Libbey Inc. (Parent)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	6,966	23,641	70,086
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0
Other operating activities	(6,966)	(23,641)	(70,086)
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0	0
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Other investing activities	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Net borrowings (repayments)	0	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0	0
Exchange effect on cash	0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	0	0	0
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	0	0	0
Libbey Glass (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	6,966	23,641	70,086
Depreciation and amortization	12,897	13,501	14,512
Other operating activities	(59,493)	(2,184)	(67,690)
Net cash provided by operating activities	(39,630)	34,958	16,908
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(10,104)	(18,098)	(8,515)
Other investing activities	97	33	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(10,007)	(18,065)	(8,515)
Net borrowings (repayments)	89,792	(40,196)	35,112
Other financing activities	(35,846)	4,275	(22,614)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	53,946	(35,921)	12,498
Exchange effect on cash	0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	4,309	(19,028)	20,891
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	39,249	58,277	37,386
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	43,558	39,249	58,277
Subsidiary Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	7,140	11,308	9,776
Depreciation and amortization	70	292	743
Other operating activities	(7,295)	(24,655)	(10,407)
Net cash provided by operating activities	(85)	(13,055)	112
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	(61)	(238)
Other investing activities	0	12,978	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	12,917	(238)
Net borrowings (repayments)	0	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0	0
Exchange effect on cash	0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	(85)	(138)	(126)
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	155	293	419
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	70	155	293
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	25,167	30,508	23,343
Depreciation and amortization	28,504	28,395	25,860
Other operating activities	(5,459)	(25,455)	(18,524)
Net cash provided by operating activities	48,212	33,448	30,679
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(22,616)	(23,261)	(19,494)
Other investing activities	550	4,689	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(22,066)	(18,572)	(19,494)
Net borrowings (repayments)	(21,674)	(13,547)	(10,210)
Other financing activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(21,674)	(13,547)	(10,210)
Exchange effect on cash	221	(130)	(571)
Increase (decrease) in cash	4,693	1,199	404
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	18,887	17,688	17,284
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	23,580	18,887	17,688
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net income	(39,273)	(65,457)	(103,205)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0	0
Other operating activities	39,273	65,457	103,205
Net cash provided by operating activities	0	0	0
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	0	0
Other investing activities	0	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0	0
Net borrowings (repayments)	0	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0	0
Exchange effect on cash	0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	0	0	0
Cash & cash equivalents at beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash & cash equivalents at end of year	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0