Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 11, 2014 USD ($) mi	Jun. 30, 2007 mi	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) entity	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies			$ 3,600,000		$ 3,600,000		$ 5,000,000
Aggregate environmental accruals included in current other accrued liabilities			1,800,000		1,800,000		3,200,000
Remediation accrual balance if accrued at high end of the range of possible outcomes			28,000,000		28,000,000
Amount which is better estimate within range			0		0		0
Environmental remediation spending charged to reserve balance			1,000,000	$ 1,700,000	2,300,000	$ 2,700,000
Operating costs relating to environmental compliance			3,700,000	3,700,000	6,400,000	7,200,000
Capital expenditure for environmental matters			1,800,000	$ 1,100,000	2,400,000	$ 1,500,000
Estimated amount of unpaid value added tax			22,000,000		22,000,000
Interest payable on unpaid value added tax			1,200,000		$ 1,200,000
Lower Passaic River
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of entities, in addition to Hexcel, who received a directive from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection | entity					72
Portion of the river for which interim remedial options are considered (in miles) | mi	8	8
Remediation accrual balance if accrued at lower end of the range of possible outcomes			2,000,000		$ 2,000,000		2,100,000
Lower Passaic River | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expected cost of dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA	$ 800,000,000
Lower Passaic River | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expected cost of dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA	$ 3,250,000,000
Lodi Site | N J
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies			400,000		400,000		1,700,000
Kent, Washington Site
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies			500,000		500,000		500,000
Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site, Whittier | C A
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for Environmental Loss Contingencies			$ 500,000		$ 500,000		$ 600,000
Contribution to waste tonnage (as a percent)					1.07%