Condensed Consolidated Guarantor Financial Statements (Cash Flow Statements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	$ 1,989	$ 641	$ 6,966
Depreciation and amortization	10,774	10,536	41,471
Other operating activities	(25,443)	(30,275)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12,680)	(19,098)
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(8,882)	(6,446)
Other investing activities	4	180
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(8,878)	(6,266)
Net borrowings (repayments)	(59)	(394)
Other financing activities	537	28
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	478	(366)
Exchange effect on cash	(179)	257
Increase (decrease) in cash	(21,259)	(25,473)
Cash at beginning of period	67,208	58,291	58,291
Cash at end of period	45,949	32,818	67,208
Libbey Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	1,989	641
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Other operating activities	(1,989)	(641)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	0
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Exchange effect on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	0	0
Cash at beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash at end of period	0	0
Libbey Glass (Issuer) [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	1,989	641
Depreciation and amortization	4,114	3,538
Other operating activities	(19,007)	(30,332)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12,904)	(26,153)
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(2,004)	(3,181)
Other investing activities	1	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(2,003)	(3,181)
Net borrowings (repayments)	(54)	(51)
Other financing activities	537	28
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	483	(23)
Exchange effect on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	(14,424)	(29,357)
Cash at beginning of period	43,558	39,249	39,249
Cash at end of period	29,134	9,892
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	1,554	3,111
Depreciation and amortization	17	19
Other operating activities	(1,548)	(3,128)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	23	2
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	0
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Exchange effect on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	23	2
Cash at beginning of period	70	155	155
Cash at end of period	93	157
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	979	4,258
Depreciation and amortization	6,643	6,979
Other operating activities	(7,421)	(4,184)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	201	7,053
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(6,878)	(3,265)
Other investing activities	3	180
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(6,875)	(3,085)
Net borrowings (repayments)	(5)	(343)
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(5)	(343)
Exchange effect on cash	(179)	257
Increase (decrease) in cash	(6,858)	3,882
Cash at beginning of period	23,580	18,887	18,887
Cash at end of period	16,722	22,769
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net income (loss)	(4,522)	(8,010)
Depreciation and amortization	0	0
Other operating activities	4,522	8,010
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Additions to property, plant and equipment	0	0
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0
Net borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	0
Exchange effect on cash	0	0
Increase (decrease) in cash	0	0
Cash at beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash at end of period	$ 0	$ 0