Borrowings (ABL Credit Agreement Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	May 18, 2012 entity
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Covenant terms, conditional minimum fixed charge coverage ratio	1
Total borrowings	$ 412,320	$ 436,851
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	500
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity	88,400	91,000
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	$ 7,000
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
Minimum [Member] | Line of Credit | Libbey Glass and Libbey Europe | ABL Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Period	P1M
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%
Maximum [Member] | Line of Credit | Libbey Glass and Libbey Europe | ABL Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest Period	P6M
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%