Financial Guarantees and Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2014	Sep. 28, 2013	Sep. 27, 2014	Sep. 28, 2013	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	$ 498,013	$ 288,979	$ 1,360,495	$ 867,599
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	35,447		35,447		13,797
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	62,258		62,258		62,191
Liabilities	1,988,273		1,988,273		1,304,781
Liabilities, Current	364,068		364,068		328,955
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	182,683	74,678	182,683	74,678	86,064	97,879
Accounts receivable, net	262,074		262,074		194,827
Inventories, net	182,205		182,205		156,074
Deferred income taxes	9,672		9,672		2,318
Other current assets	88,949		88,949		59,096
Total current assets	725,583		725,583		498,379
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $223,653 and $175,159, respectively	989,389		989,389		652,780
Goodwill	201,987		201,987		115,328
Intangible assets, net	171,753		171,753		169,399
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	0		0		0
Deferred income taxes	3,621		3,621		2,582
Other noncurrent assets	35,283		35,283		26,052
Total assets	2,127,616		2,127,616		1,464,520
Common stock	0		0		0
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	49,504		49,504		158,896
Noncontrolling interests	89,839		89,839		843
Total equity	139,343		139,343		159,739
Total liabilities and equity	2,127,616		2,127,616		1,464,520
Short-term borrowings	15,802		15,802		2,472
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	1,440,130		1,440,130		880,399
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	77,026		77,026		33,236
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	311,340		311,340		307,731
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	471		471		3,613
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	1,008		1,008		1,342
Cost of Goods Sold	417,521	240,779	1,118,952	723,143
Gross Profit	80,492	48,200	241,543	144,456
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	65,796	33,463	185,499	107,176
Special Charges Net	(14,893)	(7,093)	(47,868)	(10,647)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(2,266)	671	2,658	1,975
Operating income (loss):	2,069	6,973	5,518	24,658
Interest Expense	28,782	13,185	67,605	37,592
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency and other, net	(26,588)	2,298	(11,626)	(22)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(58,288)	(3,914)	(89,438)	(12,956)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(1,137)	4,353	(850)	9,444
Net income (loss)	(57,151)	(8,267)	(88,588)	(22,400)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,923)	0	(4,216)	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(55,228)	(8,267)	(84,372)	(22,400)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(87,958)	(3,272)	(113,412)	(18,652)
PGI (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	46	0	46	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	7,142		7,142		3,039
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	494		494		1,810
Liabilities	1,458,138		1,458,138		893,879
Liabilities, Current	43,119		43,119		40,328
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	4,026	1,535	4,026	1,535	2,068	486
Accounts receivable, net	0		0		0
Inventories, net	(837)		(837)		0
Deferred income taxes	385		385		385
Other current assets	10,120		10,120		1,887
Total current assets	13,694		13,694		4,340
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $223,653 and $175,159, respectively	4,237		4,237		2,756
Goodwill	0		0		0
Intangible assets, net	36,489		36,489		31,525
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	1,452,933		1,452,933		1,013,856
Deferred income taxes	0		0		0
Other noncurrent assets	289		289		298
Total assets	1,507,642		1,507,642		1,052,775
Common stock	0		0		0
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	49,504		49,504		158,896
Noncontrolling interests	0		0		0
Total equity	49,504		49,504		158,896
Total liabilities and equity	1,507,642		1,507,642		1,052,775
Short-term borrowings	119		119		410
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	1,413,551		1,413,551		850,767
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	974		974		974
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	35,619		35,619		36,510
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	239		239		369
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	0		0		0
Cost of Goods Sold	93	93	223	129
Gross Profit	(47)	(93)	(177)	(129)
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	14,412	9,078	37,442	33,053
Special Charges Net	(3,886)	(6,539)	(22,823)	(8,364)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(146)	(36)	(157)	(55)
Operating income (loss):	(18,199)	(15,674)	(60,285)	(41,491)
Interest Expense	20,569	14,800	53,987	37,274
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	(2,301)	(1,425)	4,898	(4,181)
Foreign currency and other, net	(6,803)	2,815	16,114	2,815
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(12,803)	15,695	21,647	42,848
Income (loss) before income taxes	(58,685)	(10,539)	(94,759)	(28,921)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(3,457)	(2,272)	(10,387)	(6,521)
Net income (loss)	(55,228)	(8,267)	(84,372)	(22,400)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(55,228)		(84,372)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(87,958)	(3,272)	(113,412)	(18,652)
Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	145,542	93,021	441,790	275,850
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0		0		0
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	26,994		26,994		31,718
Liabilities	96,058		96,058		106,211
Liabilities, Current	59,438		59,438		61,950
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	112,897	11,975	112,897	11,975	13,103	28,285
Accounts receivable, net	43,990		43,990		46,828
Inventories, net	50,697		50,697		46,428
Deferred income taxes	2,438		2,438		2,438
Other current assets	10,838		10,838		12,696
Total current assets	220,860		220,860		121,493
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $223,653 and $175,159, respectively	205,007		205,007		207,256
Goodwill	55,999		55,999		54,683
Intangible assets, net	120,011		120,011		125,146
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	473,936		473,936		615,314
Deferred income taxes	0		0		0
Other noncurrent assets	9,383		9,383		8,869
Total assets	1,085,196		1,085,196		1,132,761
Common stock	0		0		0
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	989,138		989,138		1,026,550
Noncontrolling interests	0		0		0
Total equity	989,138		989,138		1,026,550
Total liabilities and equity	1,085,196		1,085,196		1,132,761
Short-term borrowings	0		0		0
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	0		0		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	9,626		9,626		12,543
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	58,817		58,817		61,950
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	769		769		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	(148)		(148)		0
Cost of Goods Sold	117,548	77,996	354,160	234,710
Gross Profit	27,994	15,025	87,630	41,140
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	13,534	6,060	41,994	17,824
Special Charges Net	(229)	(37)	(2,443)	(176)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(96)	92	(395)	313
Operating income (loss):	14,327	8,836	43,588	22,827
Interest Expense	(2,806)	(6,924)	(9,406)	(13,111)
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	(1,150)	(1,681)	(3,943)	(4,985)
Foreign currency and other, net	979	(5)	854	(252)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(27,303)	989	(25,764)	6,679
Income (loss) before income taxes	(8,041)	18,425	32,027	47,350
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,818	2,815	10,403	4,502
Net income (loss)	(12,859)	15,610	21,624	42,848
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(12,859)		21,624
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(45,806)	23,413	(7,620)	48,449
Non-Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	352,150	201,840	946,836	607,758
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	28,305		28,305		10,758
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	79,561		79,561		28,663
Liabilities	436,900		436,900		307,513
Liabilities, Current	260,363		260,363		225,529
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	65,760	61,168	65,760	61,168	70,893	69,108
Accounts receivable, net	218,084		218,084		147,999
Inventories, net	132,345		132,345		109,646
Deferred income taxes	9,672		9,672		2,318
Other current assets	67,991		67,991		44,513
Total current assets	493,852		493,852		375,369
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $223,653 and $175,159, respectively	780,145		780,145		442,768
Goodwill	145,988		145,988		60,645
Intangible assets, net	15,253		15,253		12,728
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	(754,385)		(754,385)		(363,414)
Deferred income taxes	3,621		3,621		2,582
Other noncurrent assets	25,611		25,611		16,885
Total assets	710,085		710,085		547,563
Common stock	16,966		16,966		16,966
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	166,380		166,380		222,241
Noncontrolling interests	89,839		89,839		843
Total equity	273,185		273,185		240,050
Total liabilities and equity	710,085		710,085		547,563
Short-term borrowings	15,683		15,683		2,062
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	26,579		26,579		29,632
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	70,397		70,397		23,689
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	216,904		216,904		209,271
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	(537)		(537)		3,244
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	8		8		194
Cost of Goods Sold	299,605	168,572	792,746	504,313
Gross Profit	52,545	33,268	154,090	103,445
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	37,850	18,325	106,063	56,299
Special Charges Net	(10,778)	(517)	(22,602)	(2,107)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(2,024)	615	3,210	1,717
Operating income (loss):	5,941	13,811	22,215	43,322
Interest Expense	11,019	5,309	23,024	13,429
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	3,451	3,106	(955)	9,166
Foreign currency and other, net	(20,764)	(512)	(28,594)	(2,585)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(31,668)	4,884	(30,823)	18,142
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(2,498)	3,810	(866)	11,463
Net income (loss)	(29,170)	1,074	(29,957)	6,679
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,923)		(4,216)
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(27,247)		(25,741)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(51,084)	1,603	(44,583)	6,939
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	275	(5,882)	(28,177)	(16,009)
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0		0		0
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	0		0		0
Liabilities	(2,823)		(2,823)		(2,822)
Liabilities, Current	1,148		1,148		1,148
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0		0
Inventories, net	0		0		0
Deferred income taxes	(2,823)		(2,823)		(2,823)
Other current assets	0		0		0
Total current assets	(2,823)		(2,823)		(2,823)
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $223,653 and $175,159, respectively	0		0		0
Goodwill	0		0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0		0
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	(1,172,484)		(1,172,484)		(1,265,756)
Deferred income taxes	0		0		0
Other noncurrent assets	0		0		0
Total assets	(1,175,307)		(1,175,307)		(1,268,579)
Common stock	(16,966)		(16,966)		(16,966)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	(1,155,518)		(1,155,518)		(1,248,791)
Noncontrolling interests	0		0		0
Total equity	(1,172,484)		(1,172,484)		(1,265,757)
Total liabilities and equity	(1,175,307)		(1,175,307)		(1,268,579)
Short-term borrowings	0		0		0
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	0		0		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(3,971)		(3,971)		(3,970)
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	0		0		0
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	0		0		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	1,148		1,148		1,148
Cost of Goods Sold	275	(5,882)	(28,177)	(16,009)
Gross Profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	0	0	0	0
Special Charges Net	0	0	0	0
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss):	0	0	0	0
Interest Expense	0	0	0	0
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency and other, net	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	40,106	(16,684)	4,117	(49,527)
Income (loss) before income taxes	40,106	(16,684)	4,117	(49,527)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	40,106	(16,684)	4,117	(49,527)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests	0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	40,106		4,117
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	96,890	(25,016)	52,203	(55,388)
Maximum
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	$ 107,049		$ 107,049