Financial Guarantees and Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 29, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 28, 2013	Dec. 29, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	$ 461,238	$ 422,584
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	23,394		31,892
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	64,733		67,124
Liabilities	1,914,332		1,969,793
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	76,584		89,181
Liabilities, Current	349,662		390,723
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	160,601	59,640	178,491	86,064	86,064
Accounts receivable, net	251,881		247,727
Inventories, net	157,016		173,701
Deferred income taxes	15,958		16,776
Other current assets	79,375		89,121
Total current assets	664,831		705,816
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $241,524 and $230,681, respectively	807,244		870,230
Goodwill	201,347		220,554
Intangible assets, net	171,976		178,911
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	0		0
Deferred income taxes	20,073		18,231
Other noncurrent assets	36,290		41,431
Total assets	1,901,761		2,035,173
Common stock	0		0
Total Polymer Group, Inc. shareholders' equity	(89,745)		(24,355)
Noncontrolling interest	590		554
Total equity (deficit)	(89,155)		(23,801)
Total liabilities and equity	1,901,761		2,035,173
Short-term borrowings	25,742		17,665
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	1,426,371		1,433,283
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	37,568		36,223
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	281,908		321,313
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	7,719		9,636
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	10,899		10,217
Cost of Goods Sold	355,820	348,119
Gross Profit	105,418	74,465
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	64,989	55,534
Special Charges Net	(6,022)	(8,711)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(1,423)	1,069
Operating income (loss):	35,830	9,151
Interest Expense	27,633	17,906
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	0	0
Foreign currency and other, net	(43,923)	4,959
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(35,726)	(3,796)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,548	5,700
Net income (loss)	(40,274)	(9,496)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest	(316)	(16)
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(39,958)	(9,480)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(68,636)	(7,793)
PGI (Issuer)
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	0	0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	7,145		7,143
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	258		461
Liabilities	1,456,880		1,460,142
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	76,584		89,181
Liabilities, Current	48,277		49,622
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	3,026	764	34,720		2,068
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Inventories, net	0		0
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other current assets	10,595		10,465
Total current assets	13,621		45,185
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $241,524 and $230,681, respectively	5,229		5,445
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	32,688		34,529
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	1,389,585		1,437,946
Deferred income taxes	2,315		1,578
Other noncurrent assets	281		285
Total assets	1,443,719		1,524,968
Common stock	0		0
Total Polymer Group, Inc. shareholders' equity	(89,745)		(24,355)
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total equity (deficit)	(89,745)		(24,355)
Total liabilities and equity	1,443,719		1,524,968
Short-term borrowings	1,139		405
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	1,408,345		1,410,059
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	0		0
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	36,928		39,529
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	169		223
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	2,896		2,322
Cost of Goods Sold	0	37
Gross Profit	0	(37)
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	15,991	10,930
Special Charges Net	(2,682)	(3,965)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(264)	(12)
Operating income (loss):	(18,409)	(14,920)
Interest Expense	16,251	19,931
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	(2,105)	(2,695)
Foreign currency and other, net	(2,888)	10,800
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(7,971)	8,285
Income (loss) before income taxes	(43,414)	(13,071)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	(3,456)	(3,591)
Net income (loss)	(39,958)	(9,480)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(39,958)	(9,480)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(68,636)	(7,793)
Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	141,800	148,896
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0		0
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	36,257		36,839
Liabilities	107,615		119,274
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0		0
Liabilities, Current	56,659		67,538
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	91,898	10,342	76,744		13,103
Accounts receivable, net	48,403		39,504
Inventories, net	56,117		54,044
Deferred income taxes	3,081		3,279
Other current assets	16,748		19,250
Total current assets	216,247		192,821
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $241,524 and $230,681, respectively	199,584		204,800
Goodwill	55,999		55,999
Intangible assets, net	116,595		118,283
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	429,901		494,906
Deferred income taxes	0		0
Other noncurrent assets	7,273		7,111
Total assets	1,025,599		1,073,920
Common stock	0		0
Total Polymer Group, Inc. shareholders' equity	917,984		954,646
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total equity (deficit)	917,984		954,646
Total liabilities and equity	1,025,599		1,073,920
Short-term borrowings	0		0
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	0		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	14,699		14,897
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	55,903		64,552
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	756		2,986
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	0		0
Cost of Goods Sold	108,769	122,587
Gross Profit	33,031	26,309
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	13,206	13,551
Special Charges Net	(738)	(532)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	564	212
Operating income (loss):	18,523	12,014
Interest Expense	1,898	(7,083)
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	(1,559)	(1,653)
Foreign currency and other, net	879	553
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	(23,585)	(8,162)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(4,522)	13,141
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	3,812	4,914
Net income (loss)	(8,334)	8,227
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(8,334)	8,227
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(37,363)	9,725
Non-Guarantors
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	327,774	286,667
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	16,249		24,749
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	64,216		72,264
Liabilities	354,443		395,132
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0		0
Liabilities, Current	246,885		275,884
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	65,677	48,534	67,027		70,893
Accounts receivable, net	203,478		208,223
Inventories, net	101,659		120,775
Deferred income taxes	15,904		16,523
Other current assets	52,032		59,406
Total current assets	438,750		471,954
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $241,524 and $230,681, respectively	602,431		659,985
Goodwill	145,348		164,555
Intangible assets, net	22,693		26,099
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	(774,303)		(811,794)
Deferred income taxes	19,337		18,232
Other noncurrent assets	28,736		34,035
Total assets	482,992		563,066
Common stock	16,966		16,966
Total Polymer Group, Inc. shareholders' equity	110,993		150,414
Noncontrolling interest	590		554
Total equity (deficit)	128,549		167,934
Total liabilities and equity	482,992		563,066
Short-term borrowings	24,603		17,260
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	18,026		23,224
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	25,316		23,760
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	189,077		217,232
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	6,794		6,427
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	10,162		10,216
Cost of Goods Sold	255,387	238,474
Gross Profit	72,387	48,193
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	35,792	31,053
Special Charges Net	(2,602)	(4,214)
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	(1,723)	869
Operating income (loss):	35,716	12,057
Interest Expense	9,484	5,058
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	3,664	4,348
Foreign currency and other, net	(41,914)	(6,394)
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	(19,346)	(3,743)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	4,192	4,377
Net income (loss)	(23,538)	(8,120)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest	(316)	(16)
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(23,222)	(8,104)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	(39,423)	(6,060)
Eliminations
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Sales Revenue, Goods, Net	(8,336)	(12,979)
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities	0		0
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	0		0
Liabilities	(4,606)		(4,755)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	0		0
Liabilities, Current	(2,159)		(2,321)
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0		0
Accounts receivable, net	0		0
Inventories, net	(760)		(1,118)
Deferred income taxes	(3,027)		(3,026)
Other current assets	0		0
Total current assets	(3,787)		(4,144)
Property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $241,524 and $230,681, respectively	0		0
Goodwill	0		0
Intangible assets, net	0		0
Net investment in and advances to (from) subsidiaries	(1,045,183)		(1,121,058)
Deferred income taxes	(1,579)		(1,579)
Other noncurrent assets	0		0
Total assets	(1,050,549)		(1,126,781)
Common stock	(16,966)		(16,966)
Total Polymer Group, Inc. shareholders' equity	(1,028,977)		(1,105,060)
Noncontrolling interest	0		0
Total equity (deficit)	(1,045,943)		(1,122,026)
Total liabilities and equity	(1,050,549)		(1,126,781)
Short-term borrowings	0		0
Long-term Debt, Excluding Current Maturities	0		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(2,447)		(2,434)
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities, Current	0		0
Accrued Income Taxes, Current	0		0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Current	(2,159)		(2,321)
Cost of Goods Sold	(8,336)	(12,979)
Gross Profit	0	0
Selling, General and Administrative Expense	0	0
Special Charges Net	0	0
Other Cost and Expense, Operating	0	0
Operating income (loss):	0	0
Interest Expense	0	0
Intercompany Royalty and Technical Service Fees Net	0	0
Foreign currency and other, net	0	0
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries	31,556	(123)
Income (loss) before income taxes	31,556	(123)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	0	0
Net income (loss)	31,556	(123)
Less: Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest and redeemable noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	31,556	(123)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Polymer Group, Inc.	76,786	(3,665)
Maximum
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Other Liabilities, Noncurrent	100,731		109,564
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	$ 76,584		$ 89,181