Borrowings (Refinancing of Existing Indebtedness Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended									0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010 Floating Rate Senior Secured Notes	Dec. 31, 2010 Payment in Kind (PIK) Note	Feb. 08, 2010 Payment in Kind (PIK) Note	Dec. 31, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes New Senior Secured Notes		May 18, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes New Senior Secured Notes	Mar. 25, 2011 Libbey Glass Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes	Jun. 30, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes	Jun. 29, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes		May 18, 2012 Libbey Glass Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes	Feb. 08, 2010 Libbey Glass Senior Notes Old Senior Secured Notes	Feb. 08, 2010 Libbey Glass Floating Rate Senior Secured Notes	Dec. 31, 2012 U.S. Plans	Dec. 31, 2011 U.S. Plans	May 31, 2012 U.S. Plans New Senior Secured Notes	Aug. 18, 2010 Common Stock Payment in Kind (PIK) Note	Oct. 31, 2009 Common Stock Payment in Kind (PIK) Note	Dec. 31, 2011 Common Stock Payment in Kind (PIK) Note	Dec. 31, 2006 Common Stock Payment in Kind (PIK) Note	Dec. 31, 2010 Selling, General and Administrative Expenses Payment in Kind (PIK) Note
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face amount									$ 450,000,000						$ 400,000,000
Interest rate						0.00%	6.875%	[1]				10.00%	[1]
Notes repurchased, face amount														320,000,000		306,000,000
Notes redeemed, face amount						80,400,000				40,000,000		40,000,000
Debt instrument, call premium										1,203,000	23,602,000
Employer contributions																	92,804,000	21,980,000	79,700,000
Write-off of finance fees and discounts	10,975,000	1,600,000	4,986,000							1,600,000	10,975,000
Gain on redemption of PIK notes	0	0	71,693,000		71,693,000
Expenses related to redemption of floating rate notes				13,400,000
Noncash gain (loss) on redemption of debt, net of expenses					58,292,000
Shares of common stock called by warrants																					3,466,856		485,309
Exercise price of warrants, per share																					0.01		11.25
Proceeds from exercise of warrants	0	5,459,000	0																			5,459,000
Common shares issued in exchange for PIK notes																					933,145
Number of shares of common stock issued in secondary offering																				4,400,000
Price per share for common stock issued in secondary offering																				$ 10.25
Shares of common stock purchased by underwriters																				573,913
Transaction fees from secondary offering																								$ 1,000,000

[1] See Interest Rate Agreements under “Senior Secured Notes” below and in note 13.