Financial Data by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Net sales
Net sales	$ 287,082	$ 295,171
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	9,380	16,998
Special charges, net	(1,804)	(2,419)
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	16,152	15,852
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	14,317	13,312
Americas Nonwovens
Net sales
Net sales	153,004	165,893
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	11,474	19,289
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	8,317	8,337
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	818	640
Europe Nonwovens
Net sales
Net sales	78,274	75,667
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	3,292	3,647
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	3,059	2,695
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	548	2,243
Asia Nonwovens
Net sales
Net sales	37,967	36,423
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	4,553	4,011
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	3,389	3,317
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	12,559	9,709
Oriented Polymers
Net sales
Net sales	17,837	17,188
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	1,593	1,677
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	348	381
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	125	86
Unallocated Corporate
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	(9,692)	(9,368)
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	432	437
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	267	634
Eliminations
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	(36)	161
Subtotal
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	11,184	19,417
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	15,545	15,167
Unallocated Amount to Segment
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	$ 607	$ 685