Note 8 - Notes Payable and Capital Leases - Long-term Debt (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Total long-term debt	$ 7,721,000	$ 8,879,000
Less current portion	(1,247,000)	(1,938,000)
Total Long-term debt, net of current portion	6,474,000	6,941,000
Loan With Officer [Member]
Long-term debt		180,000
Mortgages [Member]
Long-term debt		1,711,000
Promissory Note With Clever Container Shareholder [Member]
Long-term debt		81,000
Promissory Note From CTI To Clever Container Shareholder [Member]
Long-term debt		45,000
Promissory Note With John Schwan [Member]
Long-term debt		220,000
9% Subordinated Notes [Member]
Long-term debt		5,000
8% Subordinated Notes [Member]
Long-term debt		802,000
Prime + 2% Subordinated Notes [Member]
Long-term debt		609,000
4% Subordinated Notes [Member]
Long-term debt	1,507,000
Prime + .25% Note Payable [Member] | CTI Europe [Member]
Long-term debt	32,000	27,000
Promissory Note With Merrick [Member]
Long-term debt	76,000	83,000
Promissory Note with Schwan Leasing [Member]
Long-term debt	60,000	70,000
Note Payable at 11.75% [Member] | Flexo Universal [Member]
Long-term debt	41,000	47,000
BMO Equity [Member] | Mezzanine Note Payable [Member]
Long-term debt		5,000,000
Less: Remaining debt discount to be amortized		(113,000)
BMO Harris Bank N.A. [Member] | Term Loan [Member]
Long-term debt		67,000
First American Equipment Finance [Member]
Capital lease obligation	3,000	36,000
Wells Fargo [Member] | 5 Year Capital Lease [Member]
Capital lease obligation	2,000	6,000
Wells Fargo [Member] | 3 Year Capital Lease [Member]
Capital lease obligation		3,000
PNC [Member] | Term Loan [Member]
Long-term debt	$ 6,000,000