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Acquisition and Divestitures - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Jan. 31, 2015 Divestiture Company | Jan. 31, 2014 Acquisition Company
Business Combinations [Abstract] |  |
Number of acquisitions completed | 0 us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired | 2 us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Number of divestitures | 3 gef_NumberOfDivestitures |
(Gain) loss on disposal of businesses | $ (0.8)us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1 | $ 1.8 us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1
Proceeds from divestitures | 2.9 us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses |
Notes receivables related to sale of business | $ 3.9 us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationConsideration |
Terms related to sale of business | nine months to five years |
Number of rigid industrial packaging and services companies acquired |  | 1 gef_NumberOfRigidIndustrialPackagingCompaniesAcquired
Number of paper packaging and services companies acquired |  | 1 gef_NumberOfPaperPackagingCompaniesAcquired

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- Definition Number Of Divestitures + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gef_NumberOfDivestitures
Namespace Prefix: | gef_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Number Of Paper Packaging Companies Acquired + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gef_NumberOfPaperPackagingCompaniesAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | gef_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Number of rigid industrial packaging companies acquired. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | gef_NumberOfRigidIndustrialPackagingCompaniesAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | gef_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessCombinationsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount of consideration received or receivable for the disposal of assets and liabilities, including discontinued operation. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationConsideration
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition A description of the facts and circumstances leading to the completed or expected disposal, and the manner and timing of that disposal. Sales of disposal groups, including those classified as components of the entity (discontinued operations), are generally expected to be completed within one year of their classification as held-for-sale. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.Z.5 Q2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872618&loc=d3e7384-122677 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section Z -Paragraph Question 2 -Subsection 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 5 -Section U + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationDescriptionAndTimingOfDisposal
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of assets, including but not limited to property plant and equipment, intangible assets and equity in securities of subsidiaries or equity method investee. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2443-110228 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnDispositionOfAssets1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition The number of businesses acquired by the entity during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition The cash inflow associated with the amount received from the sale of a portion of the company's business, for example a segment, division, branch or other business, during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Investing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProceedsFromDivestitureOfBusinesses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration