Financial Guarantees and Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2014	Mar. 30, 2013
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	$ 422,584	$ 287,082
Cost of goods sold	(347,948)	(241,216)
Gross profit	74,636	45,866
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(56,019)	(34,342)
Special Charges Net	(8,711)	(1,804)
Other operating, net	(1,069)	(340)
Operating income (loss)	8,837	9,380
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(17,906)	(12,084)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	0	0
Foreign currency and other, net	4,959	(1,420)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(4,110)	(4,124)
Income tax (provision) benefit	(5,700)	(2,103)
Net income (loss)	(9,810)	(6,227)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(9,794)	(6,227)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(8,107)	(9,903)
PGI (Issuer)
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	0	0
Cost of goods sold	(37)	(25)
Gross profit	(37)	(25)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(10,930)	(9,644)
Special Charges Net	(3,965)	(1,354)
Other operating, net	12	2
Operating income (loss)	(14,920)	(11,021)
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(19,931)	(10,228)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	2,695	1,327
Foreign currency and other, net	10,800	(2)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	7,971	11,524
Income (loss) before income taxes	(13,385)	(8,400)
Income tax (provision) benefit	3,591	2,173
Net income (loss)	(9,794)	(6,227)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(9,794)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(8,107)	(9,903)
Guarantors
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	148,896	93,012
Cost of goods sold	(122,419)	(81,846)
Gross profit	26,477	11,166
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(14,036)	(5,760)
Special Charges Net	(532)	(37)
Other operating, net	212	76
Operating income (loss)	11,697	5,293
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(7,083)	(3,101)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	1,653	1,607
Foreign currency and other, net	553	(97)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(8,165)	3,817
Income (loss) before income taxes	12,821	13,721
Income tax (provision) benefit	(4,914)	(2,145)
Net income (loss)	7,907	11,576
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	7,907
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	9,405	16,102
Non-Guarantors
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	286,667	199,529
Cost of goods sold	(238,471)	(164,804)
Gross profit	48,196	34,725
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(31,053)	(18,938)
Special Charges Net	(4,214)	(413)
Other operating, net	869	266
Operating income (loss)	12,060	15,108
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(5,058)	(4,957)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	(4,348)	(2,934)
Foreign currency and other, net	(6,394)	(1,321)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(3,740)	5,896
Income tax (provision) benefit	(4,377)	(2,131)
Net income (loss)	(8,117)	3,765
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(16)
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(8,101)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(6,057)	5,384
Eliminations
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	(12,979)	(5,459)
Cost of goods sold	12,979	5,459
Gross profit	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Special Charges Net	0	0
Other operating, net	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	0	0
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	0	0
Foreign currency and other, net	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	194	(15,341)
Income (loss) before income taxes	194	(15,341)
Income tax (provision) benefit	0	0
Net income (loss)	194	(15,341)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	194
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	$ (3,348)	$ (21,486)