VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2018	Dec. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Accounts receivable reserves [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 13,736	$ 8,752	$ 8,943
Additions, charged to expense	30,280	8,204	6,088
Charges to reserve	(32,150)	(3,220)	(6,279)
Ending balance	11,866	13,736	8,752
Accounts receivable reserves [Member]
Accounts receivable reserves [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	13,736	8,752	8,543
Additions, charged to expense	30,280	8,204	6,088
Charges to reserve	(32,150)	(3,220)	(5,879)
Ending balance	11,866	13,736	8,752
Sales returns reserve [Member]
Accounts receivable reserves [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	0	0	400
Additions, charged to expense	0	0	0
Charges to reserve	0	0	(400)
Ending balance	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Total of allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-09)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase in the allowances and reserves, which consist of the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs, from charges to costs and expenses.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesChargedToCostAndExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total of the deductions in a given period to allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs, representing receivables written off as uncollectible and portions of the reserves utilized, respectively.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=us-gaap_AllowanceForCreditLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesTypeAxis=cri_SalesandReturnReservesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: