Condensed Consolidated Guarantor Financial Statements (Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 45,949	$ 67,208	$ 32,818	$ 58,291
Accounts receivable - net	86,264	80,850
Inventories - net	167,374	157,549
Other current assets	16,834	12,997
Total current assets	316,421	318,604
Other non-current assets	36,421	38,624
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	187,324	186,794
Total other assets	223,745	225,418
Property, plant and equipment - net	253,009	258,154
Total assets	793,175	802,176
Accounts payable	57,259	65,712
Accrued and other current liabilities	90,676	95,535
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	14,031	4,583
Total current liabilities	161,966	165,830
Long-term debt	452,122	461,884
Other long-term liabilities	150,876	149,986
Total liabilities	764,964	777,700
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	28,211	24,476
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	793,175	802,176
Libbey Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [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	28,211	24,476
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	0	0
Total other assets	28,211	24,476
Property, plant and equipment - net	0	0
Total assets	28,211	24,476
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)	28,211	24,476
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	28,211	24,476
Libbey Glass (Issuer) [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	29,134	43,558	9,892	39,249
Accounts receivable - net	32,082	33,987
Inventories - net	61,300	52,627
Other current assets	19,107	17,931
Total current assets	141,623	148,103
Other non-current assets	19,889	22,373
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	394,758	384,414
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	27,757	26,833
Total other assets	442,404	433,620
Property, plant and equipment - net	68,698	72,780
Total assets	652,725	654,503
Accounts payable	11,990	15,339
Accrued and other current liabilities	60,435	63,674
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	224	221
Total current liabilities	72,649	79,234
Long-term debt	450,898	451,090
Other long-term liabilities	93,302	94,434
Total liabilities	616,849	624,758
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	35,876	29,745
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	652,725	654,503
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	93	70	157	155
Accounts receivable - net	5,823	3,560
Inventories - net	19,473	18,477
Other current assets	736	810
Total current assets	26,125	22,917
Other non-current assets	349	54
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	191,367	194,316
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	12,347	12,347
Total other assets	204,063	206,717
Property, plant and equipment - net	282	298
Total assets	230,470	229,932
Accounts payable	1,578	2,854
Accrued and other current liabilities	20,485	20,194
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	22,063	23,048
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	9,517	9,691
Total liabilities	31,580	32,739
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	198,890	197,193
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	230,470	229,932
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	16,722	23,580	22,769	18,887
Accounts receivable - net	48,359	43,303
Inventories - net	86,601	86,445
Other current assets	14,321	10,446
Total current assets	166,003	163,774
Other non-current assets	20,373	20,387
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	(40,824)	(35,962)
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	147,220	147,614
Total other assets	126,769	132,039
Property, plant and equipment - net	184,029	185,076
Total assets	476,801	480,889
Accounts payable	43,691	47,519
Accrued and other current liabilities	27,085	27,857
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	13,807	4,362
Total current liabilities	84,583	79,738
Long-term debt	1,224	10,794
Other long-term liabilities	52,247	50,051
Total liabilities	138,054	140,583
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	338,747	340,306
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	476,801	480,889
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable - net	0	0
Inventories - net	0	0
Other current assets	(17,330)	(16,190)
Total current assets	(17,330)	(16,190)
Other non-current assets	(4,190)	(4,190)
Investments in and advances to subsidiaries	(573,512)	(567,244)
Goodwill and purchased intangible assets - net	0	0
Total other assets	(577,702)	(571,434)
Property, plant and equipment - net	0	0
Total assets	(595,032)	(587,624)
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued and other current liabilities	(17,329)	(16,190)
Notes payable and long-term debt due within one year	0	0
Total current liabilities	(17,329)	(16,190)
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	(4,190)	(4,190)
Total liabilities	(21,519)	(20,380)
Total shareholders' equity (deficit)	(573,513)	(567,244)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (595,032)	$ (587,624)