Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 28, 2015	Aug. 29, 2015	May. 30, 2015	Feb. 28, 2015	Nov. 29, 2014	Aug. 30, 2014	May. 31, 2014	Mar. 01, 2014	Nov. 28, 2015	Nov. 29, 2014	Nov. 30, 2013
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 372,547	$ 357,557	$ 399,799	$ 351,123	$ 413,375	$ 400,152	$ 386,642	$ 312,685	$ 1,481,026	$ 1,512,854	$ 1,130,770
Gross profit	122,289	119,755	133,610	112,975	139,753	135,325	125,370	96,587	488,629	497,035	370,209
Net earnings	33,094	36,509	38,573	26,737	43,531	41,765	34,546	24,341	134,913	144,183	118,350
Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.	$ 33,053	$ 36,445	$ 38,497	$ 26,709	$ 43,508	$ 41,703	$ 34,552	$ 24,321	$ 134,704	$ 144,084	$ 118,076
Net earnings per common share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.67	$ 0.73	$ 0.77	$ 0.53	$ 0.87	$ 0.83	$ 0.68	$ 0.48	$ 2.70	$ 2.86	$ 2.36
Net earnings per common share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.67	0.72	0.76	0.53	0.86	0.82	0.68	0.48	2.67	2.83	2.34
Cash dividends paid per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.2	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.17	$ 0.17	$ 0.17	$ 0.82	$ 0.7100	$ 0.575