Borrowings (ABL Credit Agreement Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	May. 18, 2012 entity
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Covenant terms, conditional minimum fixed charge coverage ratio	1
Total borrowings	$ 436,851	$ 444,904
ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Commitment fee percentage	0.25%
Libbey Glass and Libbey Europe | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of financial institutions participating | entity			4
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 100,000
Covenant, fixed charge coverage ratio, unused borrowing capacity below which covenant is applicable	10,000
Additional available borrowing capacity	$ 25,000
Borrowing base, component of sum, % of eligible accounts receivable	85.00%
Borrowing base, alternative component of sum, % of NOLV of eligible inventory	85.00%
Borrowing base, alternative component of sum, % of eligible inventory	65.00%
Borrowing base, alternative component of sum, amount	$ 75,000
Borrowing base, amount of rent reserves offset	300
Borrowing base, amount of natural gas reserves offset	2,100
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity	91,000	82,300
Libbey Glass and Libbey Europe | ABL Facility | Letter of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	30,000
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding	$ 6,600
Libbey Glass | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Security, percent of entity stock	100.00%
Libbey Glass | Line of Credit, Swingline [Member] | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 15,000
Subsidiaries, Present and Future Direct and Indirect Domestic Subsidiaries of Libbey Glass | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Security, percent of entity stock	100.00%
Subsidiaries, First-tier Present and Future Foreign Subsidiaries of Libbey Glass | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Security, percent of entity stock, non-voting	100.00%
Security, percent of entity stock, voting	65.00%
Subsidiary, Libbey Europe [Member] | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Security, percent of entity stock	100.00%
Subsidiary, Libbey Europe [Member] | Line of Credit, Swingline [Member] | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 7,500
Subsidiaries, Dutch Subsidiaries of Libbey Europe | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Security, percent of entity stock	100.00%
Line of Credit | Libbey Glass and Libbey Europe | ABL Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total borrowings	$ 0	$ 0
Interest period, minimum	1 month
Interest period, maximum	6 months
Maximum [Member] | Subsidiaries, First-Tier Subsidiaries of Libbey Europe and its Dutch Subsidiaries | ABL Facility | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Security, percent of entity stock	100.00%
CB Floating Rate [Member] | Line of Credit, Swingline [Member] | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Applicable rates	0.50%
Netherlands Swing Line Rate [Member] | Line of Credit, Swingline [Member] | Line of Credit
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Applicable rates	1.50%