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Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015	Jan. 31, 2014	Oct. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Restricted bank financial instruments under Buyer SPE	$ 50.9gef_RestrictedBankFinancialInstrumentsOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement		$ 50.9gef_RestrictedBankFinancialInstrumentsOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement
Interest income of Buyer SPE	0.6gef_InterestIncomeOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement	0.6gef_InterestIncomeOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1.9)us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest	1.1us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest
STA Timber [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Debt instrument, principal outstanding	43.3us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember		43.3us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCarryingAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Interest expense	0.6us-gaap_InterestExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember	0.6us-gaap_InterestExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Flexible Packaging JV [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	$ 3.3us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember	$ 1.4us-gaap_NetIncomeLossAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember

X

- Definition

Interest income of purchaser under real estate sale agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	gef_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Restricted bank financial instruments of purchaser under real estate sale agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gef_RestrictedBankFinancialInstrumentsOfPurchaserUnderRealEstateSaleAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	gef_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt before deduction of unamortized discount or premium. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, with initial maturities beyond one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450988&loc=d3e26243-108391



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.9)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 9

-Article 9

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18733093&loc=SL4573702-111684



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 4J

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35736750&loc=SL4591551-111686

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_CorporateJointVentureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: