|**Earnings Per Share and Stock Repurchase Activity (Tables)**                                                                                          | 9 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
|**Earnings Per Share [Abstract]**                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Schedule of weighted average number of shares                                                                                                          | The following table provides a reconciliation of the numerators and denominators utilized in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share:Quarter EndedNine Months EndedAugust 27, 2016August 29, 2015August 27, 2016August 29, 2015Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Basic48,653,22050,099,85248,723,45950,188,327Dilutive effect of stock-based arrangements401,827425,197379,752513,163Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Diluted49,055,04750,525,04949,103,21150,701,490Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.$35,749$36,445$110,266$101,651Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Basic$0.73$0.73$2.26$2.03Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted$0.73$0.72$2.25$2.00
|                                                                                                                                                      
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Basic                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Dilutive effect of stock-based arrangements                                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Weighted average number of shares outstanding - Diluted                                                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.                                                                                                              |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Basic                                                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Net earnings per share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted                                                                                          |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Schedule of additional information used in the calculation of earnings per share                                                                       | The following table provides additional information regarding the calculation of earnings per share and stock repurchase activity:Quarter EndedNine Months EndedAugust 27, 2016August 29, 2015August 27, 2016August 29, 2015Number of antidilutive options with exercise prices greater than the average market price excluded from the computation of dilutive earnings per share296,500730,150728,352730,150Common stock repurchased and retired pursuant to the Company's stock repurchase program$27,191$14,086$65,402$30,196Number of shares repurchased and retired pursuant to the Company's stock repurchase program455,797233,0001,253,401481,000                                                                                               
|                                                                                                                                                      
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Number of antidilutive options with exercise prices greater than the average market price excluded from the computation of dilutive earnings per share |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Common stock repurchased and retired pursuant to the Company's stock repurchase program                                                                |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
|Number of shares repurchased and retired pursuant to the Company's stock repurchase program                                                            |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

X- DefinitionAdditional Information Earnings Per Share and Treasury Stock Transactions [Table Text Block]
+ ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
clc_AdditionalInformationEarningsPerShareAndTreasuryStockTransactionsTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
clc_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- ReferencesNo definition available.
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_EarningsPerShareAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration X- DefinitionTabular disclosure of the weighted average number of shares used in calculating basic net earnings per share (or unit) and diluted earnings per share (or unit).
+ ReferencesReference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257
+ Details**Name:**
us-gaap_ScheduleOfWeightedAverageNumberOfSharesTableTextBlock**Namespace Prefix:**
us-gaap_**Data Type:**
nonnum:textBlockItemType**Balance Type:**
na**Period Type:**
duration