Financial Guarantees and Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 29, 2014
Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	$ 461,238	$ 422,584
Cost of goods sold	(355,820)	(348,119)
Gross profit	105,418	74,465
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(64,989)	(55,534)
Special Charges Net	(6,022)	(8,711)
Other operating, net	1,423	(1,069)
Operating income (loss)	35,830	9,151
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(27,633)	(17,906)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	0	0
Cost of goods sold	0	(37)
Gross profit	0	(37)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(15,991)	(10,930)
Special Charges Net	(2,682)	(3,965)
Other operating, net	264	12
Operating income (loss)	(18,409)	(14,920)
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(16,251)	(19,931)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	141,800	148,896
Cost of goods sold	(108,769)	(122,587)
Gross profit	33,031	26,309
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(13,206)	(13,551)
Special Charges Net	(738)	(532)
Other operating, net	(564)	(212)
Operating income (loss)	18,523	12,014
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(1,898)	7,083
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	327,774	286,667
Cost of goods sold	(255,387)	(238,474)
Gross profit	72,387	48,193
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(35,792)	(31,053)
Special Charges Net	(2,602)	(4,214)
Other operating, net	1,723	(869)
Operating income (loss)	35,716	12,057
Other income (expense):
Interest expense	(9,484)	(5,058)
Intercompany royalty and technical service fees	(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 (provision) 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 Consolidating Statement of Operations
Net sales	(8,336)	(12,979)
Cost of goods sold	8,336	12,979
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	31,556	(123)
Income (loss) before income taxes	31,556	(123)
Income tax (provision) 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)