REVENUE RECOGNITION - Contract Liabilities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 28, 2024	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 30, 2023
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Unredeemed gift cards	$ 24,638	$ 23,983	$ 24,638	$ 23,983	$ 25,162
Unredeemed customer loyalty rewards	2,362	4,020	2,362	4,020	3,355
Carter's credit card - upfront bonus	714	714	714	714	714
Total contract liabilities-current	27,714	28,717	27,714	28,717	29,231
Contract liabilities - non-current	179	893	179	893	714
Total contract liabilities	27,893	29,610	27,893	29,610	$ 29,945
Gift card liability revenue recognized	$ 1,400	$ 1,100	$ 7,100	$ 6,400

Contract With Customer, Liability, Unredeemed Gift Cards, Current

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	cri_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contract With Customer Private Label Credit Card

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	cri_ContractWithCustomerPrivateLabelCreditCard
Namespace Prefix:	cri_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479837/606-10-45-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479806/606-10-50-8

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479837/606-10-45-2

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as current.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration has been received or is receivable, classified as noncurrent.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479806/606-10-50-8

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of liability for consideration received or receivable from customer which is not included in transaction price, when consideration is expected to be refunded to customer, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 27
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479777/606-10-55-27

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
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