DIVESTITURES / SPINOFF Footnote	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups [Abstract]
Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations, Disclosure [Note Text Block]	NOTE 8 - DIVESTITURES / SPINOFF Other Divestitures and Impairments 2017: On September 7, 2017, the Company completed the previously announced sale of its foodservice business in China to Huhtamaki Hong Kong Limited. Proceeds received totaled approximately RMB 129 million ($18 million using the September 30, 2017 exchange rate). Under the terms of the transaction, and after post-closing adjustments, International Paper received approximately RMB 49 million in exchange for its ownership interest in two China foodservice entities and RMB 80 million for the sale of notes receivable from the acquired entities. Subsequent to the announced agreement in June 2017, a determination was made that the current book value of the asset group exceeded its estimated fair value of $7 million, which was the agreed upon selling price. As a result, a pre-tax charge of $9 million was recorded during the second quarter of 2017, in the Company's Consumer Packaging segment, to write down the long-lived assets of this business to their estimated fair value. Amounts related to this business included in the Company's statement of operations were immaterial for both the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2017. 2016: On June 30, 2016, the Company completed the previously announced sale of its corrugated packaging business in China and Southeast Asia to Xiamen Bridge Hexing Equity Investment Partnership Enterprise. Under the terms of the transaction and after post-closing adjustments, International Paper received a total of approximately RMB 957 million (approximately $144 million at the June 30, 2016 exchange rate), which included the buyer's assumption of the liability for outstanding loans of approximately $55 million which are payable up to three years from the closing of the sale. The remaining balance of the outstanding loans payable to International Paper as of September 30, 2017, totaled $9 million. Subsequent to the announced agreement in March 2016, a determination was made that the current book value of the asset group exceeded its estimated fair value of $155 million which was the agreed upon selling price, less costs incurred to sell. As a result, a pre-tax charge of $41 million was recorded during the six months ended June 30, 2016 in the Company's Industrial Packaging segment to write down the long-lived assets of this business to their estimated fair value. In addition, the Company recorded a pre-tax charge of $24 million in the 2016 second quarter for severance that was contingent upon the sale of this business. The amount of pre-tax losses related to this IP Asia Packaging business included in the Company's statement of operations were $7 million and $80 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2016.

NOTE 8 - DIVESTITURES / SPINOFF

Other Divestitures and Impairments

2017: On September 7, 2017, the Company completed the previously announced sale of its foodservice business in China to Huhtamaki Hong Kong Limited. Proceeds received totaled approximately RMB 129 million ($18 million using the September 30, 2017 exchange rate). Under the terms of the transaction, and after post-closing adjustments, International Paper received approximately RMB 49 million in exchange for its ownership interest in two China foodservice entities and RMB 80 million for the sale of notes receivable from the acquired entities.

Subsequent to the announced agreement in June 2017, a determination was made that the current book value of the asset group exceeded its estimated fair value of $7 million, which was the agreed upon selling price. As a result, a pre-tax charge of $9 million was recorded during the second quarter of 2017, in the Company's Consumer Packaging segment, to write down the long-lived assets of this business to their estimated fair value. Amounts related to this business included in the Company's statement of operations were immaterial for both the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2017.

2016: On June 30, 2016, the Company completed the previously announced sale of its corrugated packaging business in China and Southeast Asia to Xiamen Bridge Hexing Equity Investment Partnership Enterprise. Under the terms of the transaction and after post-closing adjustments, International Paper received a total of approximately RMB 957 million (approximately $144 million at the June 30, 2016 exchange rate), which included the buyer's assumption of the liability for outstanding loans of approximately $55 million which are payable up to three years from the closing of the sale. The remaining balance of the outstanding loans payable to International Paper as of September 30, 2017, totaled $9 million.

Subsequent to the announced agreement in March 2016, a determination was made that the current book value of the asset group exceeded its estimated fair value of $155 million which was the agreed upon selling price, less costs incurred to sell. As a result, a pre-tax charge of $41 million was recorded during the six months ended June 30, 2016 in the Company's Industrial Packaging segment to write down the long-lived assets of this business to their estimated fair value. In addition, the Company recorded a pre-tax charge of $24 million in the 2016 second quarter for severance that was contingent upon the sale of this business. The amount of pre-tax losses related to this IP Asia Packaging business included in the Company's statement of operations were $7 million and $80 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2016.