Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 03, 2016	Aug. 27, 2016	May 28, 2016	Feb. 27, 2016	Nov. 28, 2015	Aug. 29, 2015	May 30, 2015	Feb. 28, 2015	Dec. 03, 2016	Nov. 28, 2015	Nov. 29, 2014
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 376,947	$ 331,387	$ 364,968	$ 316,272	$ 372,547	$ 357,557	$ 399,799	$ 351,123	$ 1,389,573	$ 1,481,026	$ 1,512,854
Gross profit	124,736	114,401	121,861	100,901	122,289	119,755	133,610	112,975	461,899	488,629	497,035
Net earnings	29,044	35,784	53,371	21,190	33,094	36,509	38,573	26,737	139,390	134,913	144,183
Net earnings attributable to CLARCOR Inc.	$ 29,000	$ 35,749	$ 53,354	$ 21,163	$ 33,053	$ 36,445	$ 38,497	$ 26,709	$ 139,266	$ 134,704	$ 144,084
Net earnings per common share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.60	$ 0.73	$ 1.10	$ 0.43	$ 0.67	$ 0.73	$ 0.77	$ 0.53	$ 2.86	$ 2.70	$ 2.86
Net earnings per common share attributable to CLARCOR Inc. - Diluted (in dollars per share)	0.59	0.73	1.09	0.43	0.67	0.72	0.76	0.53	2.84	2.67	2.83
Cash dividends paid per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ 0.22	$ 0.22	$ 0.22	$ 0.22	$ 0.2	$ 0.20	$ 0.20	$ 0.91	$ 0.82	$ 0.7100