Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016 entity	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) mi	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		$ 2,800,000	$ 2,800,000		$ 2,900,000
Aggregate environmental accruals included in current other accrued liabilities		1,000,000	1,000,000		1,100,000
Amount which is better estimate within range		0	0		0
Remediation accrual balance if accrued at high end of the range of possible outcomes		16,000,000	16,000,000
Environmental remediation spending charged to reserve balance			100,000	$ 1,300,000
Operating costs relating to environmental compliance			2,300,000	3,100,000
Capital expenditure for environmental matters			1,900,000	$ 900,000
Kent, Washington Site
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		500,000	500,000		500,000
Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site, Whittier | California
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		$ 300,000	$ 300,000		300,000
Contribution to waste tonnage (as a percent)			1.07%
Lower Passaic River
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Portion of the river for which Record of Decision setting forth the EPA's selected remedy (in miles) | mi		8
Accrual for environmental loss contingencies		$ 1,900,000	$ 1,900,000		$ 1,900,000
Lower Passaic River | Minimum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expected cost of capping and dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA		970,000,000	970,000,000
Lower Passaic River | Maximum
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Expected cost of capping and dredging of the lower eight miles of the river by EPA		$ 2,070,000,000	$ 2,070,000,000
Scenario, Forecast | 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	52