Borrowings (Other Borrowings Narrative) (Details)	Mar. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Warehouse Promissory Note [Member] Promissory Note [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Warehouse Promissory Note [Member] Promissory Note [Member] USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2001 Warehouse Promissory Note [Member] Promissory Note [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsidiary, Libbey China [Member] RMB Loan Contract [Member] Construction Loans [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsidiary, Libbey China [Member] RMB Loan Contract [Member] Construction Loans [Member] CNY	Dec. 31, 2012 Subsidiary, Libbey China [Member] RMB Loan Contract [Member] Construction Loans [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 23, 2006 Subsidiary, Libbey China [Member] RMB Loan Contract [Member] Construction Loans [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 23, 2006 Subsidiary, Libbey China [Member] RMB Loan Contract [Member] Construction Loans [Member] CNY	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] BES Euro Line [Member] Line of Credit [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] BES Euro Line [Member] Line of Credit [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2012 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] BES Euro Line [Member] Line of Credit [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2007 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] BES Euro Line [Member] Line of Credit [Member] USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2007 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] BES Euro Line [Member] Line of Credit [Member] EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] AICEP Loan [Member] Loans Payable [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] AICEP Loan [Member] Loans Payable [Member] EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2012 Subsidiary, Libbey Portugal [Member] AICEP Loan [Member] Loans Payable [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Notes Payable [Member] USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2013 Notes Payable [Member] EUR (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total borrowings	$ 465,879,000	$ 466,059,000			$ 848,000	$ 903,000		$ 9,576,000	60,000,000	$ 9,522,000			$ 4,231,000	€ 3,300,000	$ 4,362,000			$ 1,224,000		$ 1,272,000	$ 0
Debt instrument, face amount							2,700,000				39,900,000	250,000,000						1,200,000	1,000,000
Interest rate					6.00%													0.00%	0.00%
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity																14,100,000	11,000,000					1,000,000
Line of credit facility, interest rate at period end													5.32%	5.32%							5.80%	5.80%
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Next Twelve Months													4,200,000	3,300,000
Debt instrument, term											8 years	8 years				7 years	7 years
Debt instrument, interest rate at period end								5.90%	5.90%		5.51%	5.51%
Cash on hand	$ 45,949,000	$ 67,208,000	$ 32,818,000	$ 58,291,000