Financial Data by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 29, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 29, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012
Net sales
Net sales	$ 291,538	$ 296,244	$ 578,620	$ 591,415
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	8,305	2,645	17,685	19,643
Special charges, net	(1,750)	(8,753)	(3,554)	(11,172)
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	17,274	16,525	33,426	32,378
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	12,183	16,318	26,500	29,630
Americas Nonwovens
Net sales
Net sales	159,444	165,536	312,449	331,429
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	14,557	11,454	26,031	30,743
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	8,086	9,028	16,403	17,365
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	1,233	1,174	2,051	1,814
Europe Nonwovens
Net sales
Net sales	72,938	76,015	151,212	151,681
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	3,419	3,487	6,712	7,134
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	3,004	2,557	6,063	5,253
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	501	2,315	1,049	4,558
Asia Nonwovens
Net sales
Net sales	42,428	36,448	80,395	72,871
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	5,035	4,333	9,589	8,344
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	4,808	3,501	8,197	6,819
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	9,964	12,743	22,523	22,452
Oriented Polymers
Net sales
Net sales	16,728	18,245	34,564	35,434
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	1,431	1,348	3,023	3,025
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	348	336	696	717
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	101	84	226	170
Unallocated Corporate
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	(14,364)	(9,154)	(24,055)	(18,522)
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	421	418	853	854
Unallocated Corporate
Capital spending	384	2	651	636
Eliminations
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	(23)	(70)	(61)	91
Subtotal
Operating income (loss)
Operating income (loss)	10,055	11,398	21,239	30,815
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	16,667	15,840	32,212	31,008
Unallocated Amount to Segment
Depreciation and amortization expense
Depreciation and amortization expense	$ 607	$ 685	$ 1,214	$ 1,370