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Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 31, 2015 Derivative | Jan. 31, 2014 | Oct. 31, 2014 Derivative | Dec. 31, 2014 Derivative
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest rate swap agreements maturity year |  | 2014 |  |
Realized losses on interest rate derivatives related to statement of operations | $ 200,000 gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives | $ 200,000 gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives |  |
Other comprehensive losses on interest rate derivatives |  |  | 200,000 us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgesPretaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss |
Gains (losses) recorded under fair value contracts | 5,600,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeDerivatives | 2,100,000 us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeDerivatives |  |
Energy hedges | 0 us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld |  | 0 us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld |
Recognized asset impairment charges | 200,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse | 200,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse |  |
Impairment charges | 0 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill |  |  |
Restructuring Plans [Member] |  |  |  |
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Recognized asset impairment charges |  | 200,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_RestructuringChargesMember |  |
Flexible Products & Services [Member] |  |  |  |
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Recognized asset impairment charges | 200,000 us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_FlexibleProductsAndServicesMember |  |  |
Rigid Industrial Packaging & Services [Member] |  |  |  |
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Recognized amount of additional impairment related to assets and liabilities held for sale | 0 us-gaap_ImpairmentChargeOnReclassifiedAssets / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember | 0 us-gaap_ImpairmentChargeOnReclassifiedAssets / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember |  |
Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |  |  |
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Notional amount | 150,000,000 invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember |  |  |
Derivative number of instruments held | 0 us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember |  |  | 2 us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Foreign Currency Forward Contracts [Member] |  |  |  |
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Notional amount | $ 132,600,000 invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember |  | $ 122,400,000 invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember |

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- Definition Gain loss on fair value interest rate derivatives. + References No definition available. + Details
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- 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
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