Condensed Consolidated Guarantor Financial Statements (Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 209,904	$ 209,247	$ 393,380	$ 397,076
Freight billed to customers	771	759	1,523	1,467
Total revenues	210,675	210,006	394,903	398,543
Cost of sales	153,213	153,659	295,209	299,140
Gross profit	57,462	56,347	99,694	99,403
Selling, general and administrative expenses	29,635	27,378	56,032	55,504
Special charges	(85)	0	4,229	0
Income from operations	27,912	28,969	39,433	43,899
Other income (expense)	(2,467)	(30,648)	(2,902)	(31,239)
Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes	25,445	(1,679)	36,531	12,660
Interest expense	8,126	9,957	16,561	20,365
Income (loss) before income taxes	17,319	(11,636)	19,970	(7,705)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	4,883	(1,493)	5,545	1,797
Net income (loss)	12,436	(10,143)	14,425	(9,502)
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	12,436	(10,143)	14,425	(9,502)
Comprehensive income (loss)	20,674	(9,620)	23,454	(3,867)
Libbey Inc. (Parent) [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Freight billed to customers	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Special charges	0	0	0	0
Income from operations	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	12,436	(10,143)	14,425	(9,502)
Net income (loss)	12,436	(10,143)	14,425	(9,502)
Comprehensive income (loss)	20,674	(9,620)	23,454	(3,867)
Libbey Glass (Issuer) [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net sales	101,406	109,697	188,336	203,177
Freight billed to customers	132	130	231	296
Total revenues	101,538	109,827	188,567	203,473
Cost of sales	66,605	75,608	129,205	149,919
Gross profit	34,933	34,219	59,362	53,554
Selling, general and administrative expenses	18,188	17,482	33,245	35,424
Special charges	(85)	0	4,229	0
Income from operations	16,830	16,737	21,888	18,130
Other income (expense)	(2,506)	(31,259)	(2,507)	(30,962)
Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes	14,324	(14,522)	19,381	(12,832)
Interest expense	5,996	7,681	12,416	15,874
Income (loss) before income taxes	8,328	(22,203)	6,965	(28,706)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	1,519	(2,661)	700	(2,436)
Net income (loss)	6,809	(19,542)	6,265	(26,270)
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	5,627	9,399	8,160	16,768
Net income (loss)	12,436	(10,143)	14,425	(9,502)
Comprehensive income (loss)	20,674	(9,620)	23,454	(3,867)
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net sales	22,056	19,765	40,416	37,210
Freight billed to customers	194	191	428	374
Total revenues	22,250	19,956	40,844	37,584
Cost of sales	16,140	14,342	30,500	27,355
Gross profit	6,110	5,614	10,344	10,229
Selling, general and administrative expenses	2,484	1,886	5,153	3,402
Special charges	0	0	0	0
Income from operations	3,626	3,728	5,191	6,827
Other income (expense)	(3)	(19)	(12)	(7)
Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes	3,623	3,709	5,179	6,820
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	3,623	3,709	5,179	6,820
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	147	131	149	131
Net income (loss)	3,476	3,578	5,030	6,689
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	3,476	3,578	5,030	6,689
Comprehensive income (loss)	3,303	3,818	4,999	7,053
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net sales	99,492	96,850	188,871	190,009
Freight billed to customers	445	438	864	797
Total revenues	99,937	97,288	189,735	190,806
Cost of sales	83,518	80,774	159,747	155,186
Gross profit	16,419	16,514	29,988	35,620
Selling, general and administrative expenses	8,963	8,010	17,634	16,678
Special charges	0	0	0	0
Income from operations	7,456	8,504	12,354	18,942
Other income (expense)	42	630	(383)	(270)
Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes	7,498	9,134	11,971	18,672
Interest expense	2,130	2,276	4,145	4,491
Income (loss) before income taxes	5,368	6,858	7,826	14,181
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	3,217	1,037	4,696	4,102
Net income (loss)	2,151	5,821	3,130	10,079
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	2,151	5,821	3,130	10,079
Comprehensive income (loss)	4,352	832	2,800	7,876
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidating Guarantor Non-Guarantor Financials [Line Items]
Net sales	(13,050)	(17,065)	(24,243)	(33,320)
Freight billed to customers	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	(13,050)	(17,065)	(24,243)	(33,320)
Cost of sales	(13,050)	(17,065)	(24,243)	(33,320)
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Special charges	0	0	0	0
Income from operations	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense)	0	0	0	0
Earnings (loss) before interest and income taxes	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	(18,063)	744	(22,585)	(7,266)
Net income (loss)	(18,063)	744	(22,585)	(7,266)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (28,329)	$ 4,970	$ (31,253)	$ (11,062)