Aggregate notional amount of derivative expressed in nonmonetary units. For example, the number of barrels specified in a fuel oil forward purchase contract.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNonmonetaryNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 13
-Sentence Column B

+ Details

Name:	invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930739&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64930785&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payments on a nonderivative instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NotionalAmountOfNonderivativeInstruments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CurrencyAxis=currency_EUR
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CommodityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EnergyRelatedDerivativeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=emn_NotesDueJanuary2021andNotesDueAugust2022Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CrossCurrencyInterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=emn_NotesDueJanuary2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=emn_NotesDueAugust2022MemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=emn_A1.50NotesDue2023and1.875NotesDue2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

DERIVATIVE AND NON-DERIVATIVE FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS Part 1 (Details) - Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] € in Millions, bbl in Millions, MMBTU in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($) bbl MMBTU	Mar. 31, 2018 EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€)	Mar. 31, 2018 EUR (€) bbl MMBTU	Jan. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2018 EUR (€)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) bbl MMBTU	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€) bbl MMBTU
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] \| Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount					€ 498				€ 525
Commodity Contract [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Nonmonetary Notional Amount \| bbl	7				7			7	7
Energy Related Derivative [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Nonmonetary Notional Amount \| MMBTU	20				20			23	23
Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount \| $	$ 75							$ 75
Notes Due January 2021 and Notes Due August 2022 [Member] \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Net Investment Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount					€ 416				€ 0
Notes Due January 2021 [Member] \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Net Investment Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 180	€ 150
Notes Due August 2022 [Member] [Member] \| Cross Currency Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Net Investment Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount						$ 320	€ 266
1.50% Notes Due 2023 and 1.875% Notes Due 2026 [Member] \| Euro Member Countries, Euro \| Net Investment Hedging [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Notional Amount of Nonderivative Instruments	$ 1,500	€ 1,241	$ 1,500	€ 1,240