| **COMPREHENSIVE EARNINGS (Tables)**                                          | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
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| **Statement of Income and Comprehensive Income [Abstract]**                  | Â                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| Comprehensive Income and AOCI [Table Text Block]                             | Total comprehensive earnings and its components are as follows: Total Comprehensive Earnings (Loss), Net of Tax: Net Earnings Foreign Currency andOther Adjustments Pension LiabilityAdjustments TotalComprehensiveEarnings (Loss)Quarter Ended       August 27, 2011       CLARCOR Inc.$32,070 $(681) $711 $32,100Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests82 (190) — (108)Redeemable noncontrolling interests7 187 — 194 $32,159 $(684) $711 $32,186        August 28, 2010       CLARCOR Inc.$28,326 $3,548 $657 $32,531Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests46 (1) — 45Redeemable noncontrolling interests199 8 — 207 $28,571 $3,555 $657 $32,783        Nine Months Ended       August 27, 2011       CLARCOR Inc.$86,759 $8,747 $2,917 $98,423Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests188 (189) — (1)Redeemable noncontrolling interests14 68 — 82 $86,961 $8,626 $2,917 $98,504        August 28, 2010       CLARCOR Inc.$67,077 $(10,379) $1,936 $58,634Non-redeemable noncontrolling interests139 (4) — 135Redeemable noncontrolling interests97 61 — 158 $67,313 $(10,322) $1,936 $58,927  |
| Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] | The components of the ending balances of Accumulated other comprehensive loss are as follows: August 27, 2011 November 27, 2010Pension liability, net of tax$(34,125) $(37,042)Translation adjustments, net of tax10,749 2,001Accumulated other comprehensive loss$(23,376) $(35,041)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |

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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
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| - Definition
Tabular disclosure of components of comprehensive income (loss) including, but not limited to: (a) foreign currency translation adjustments; (b) gains (losses) on foreign currency transactions that are designated as, and are effective as, economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity; (c) gains (losses) on intercompany foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature, when the entities to the transaction are consolidated, combined, or accounted for by the equity method in the reporting enterprise's financial statements; (d) change in the market value of a futures contract that qualifies as a hedge of an asset reported at fair value; (e) unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities and that resulting from transfers of debt securities from the held-to-maturity category to the available-for-sale category; (f) a net loss recognized as an additional pension liability not yet recognized as net periodic pension cost; and (g) the net gain (loss) and net prior service cost or credit for pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number  -Article  -Subparagraph  -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 1 -Section 45 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6920043&loc=d3e526-108580
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