Financial Guarantees and Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (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
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	$ 498,013	$ 288,979	$ 1,360,495	$ 867,599
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 expenses	(65,796)	(33,463)	(185,499)	(107,176)
Special Charges Net	(14,893)	(7,093)	(47,868)	(10,647)
Other operating, net	2,266	(671)	(2,658)	(1,975)
Operating income (loss)	2,069	6,973	5,518	24,658
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(28,782)	(13,185)	(67,605)	(37,592)
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	(4,987)	0	(15,725)	0
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	46	0	46	0
Cost of goods sold	(93)	(93)	(223)	(129)
Gross profit	(47)	(93)	(177)	(129)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(14,412)	(9,078)	(37,442)	(33,053)
Special Charges Net	(3,886)	(6,539)	(22,823)	(8,364)
Other operating, net	146	36	157	55
Operating income (loss)	(18,199)	(15,674)	(60,285)	(41,491)
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(20,569)	(14,800)	(53,987)	(37,274)
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	(2,612)		(13,350)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	145,542	93,021	441,790	275,850
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 expenses	(13,534)	(6,060)	(41,994)	(17,824)
Special Charges Net	(229)	(37)	(2,443)	(176)
Other operating, net	96	(92)	395	(313)
Operating income (loss)	14,327	8,836	43,588	22,827
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	2,806	6,924	9,406	13,111
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	0		0
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	352,150	201,840	946,836	607,758
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 expenses	(37,850)	(18,325)	(106,063)	(56,299)
Special Charges Net	(10,778)	(517)	(22,602)	(2,107)
Other operating, net	2,024	(615)	(3,210)	(1,717)
Operating income (loss)	5,941	13,811	22,215	43,322
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(11,019)	(5,309)	(23,024)	(13,429)
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	(2,375)		(2,375)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	(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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	275	(5,882)	(28,177)	(16,009)
Cost of goods sold	(275)	5,882	28,177	16,009
Gross profit	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Special Charges Net	0	0	0	0
Other operating, net	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Debt modification and extinguishment costs	0		0
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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)