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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	$ 200,000gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives	$ 200,000gef_GainLossOnFairValueInterestRateDerivatives
Other comprehensive losses on interest rate derivatives			200,000us-gaap_UnrealizedGainLossOnInterestRateCashFlowHedgesPretaxAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
Gains (losses) recorded under fair value contracts	5,600,000us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeDerivatives	2,100,000us-gaap_GainLossOnForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeDerivatives
Energy hedges	0us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld		0us-gaap_NumberOfPriceRiskDerivativesHeld
Recognized asset impairment charges	200,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse	200,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse
Impairment charges	0us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetIncludingGoodwill
Restructuring Plans [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized asset impairment charges		200,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_RestructuringChargesMember
Flexible Products & Services [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Recognized asset impairment charges	200,000us-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	0us-gaap_ImpairmentChargeOnReclassifiedAssets / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember	0us-gaap_ImpairmentChargeOnReclassifiedAssets / us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis = gef_RigidIndustrialPackagingAndServicesMember
Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount	150,000,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Derivative number of instruments held	0us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember			2us-gaap_DerivativeNumberOfInstrumentsHeld / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Foreign Currency Forward Contracts [Member]
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosures [Line Items]
Notional amount	$ 132,600,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember		$ 122,400,000invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember

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

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Amount of unrealized gain (loss) related to the increase or decrease in fair value of interest rate derivatives designated as cash flow hedging instruments, which was recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income to the extent that the cash flow hedge was determined to be effective.

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