Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	$1 Par Common Stock [Member]	Paid-in Capital [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Raven Industries, Inc. Equity [Member]	Non-controlling Interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2015	$ 305,237	$ 66,947	$ 53,237	$ (53,362)	$ 244,180	$ (5,849)	$ 305,153	$ 84
Treasury stock at beginning of period (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2015				28,897,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	4,861				4,855		4,855	6
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(69)					(69)	(69)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	55					55	55
Cash dividends	(4,940)		40		(4,980)		(4,940)
Share issuance costs related to fiscal 2015 business combination	(15)		(15)				(15)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ (458)	52	(510)				(458)
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	149,359			150,000
Shares repurchased	$ (3,044)			$ (3,044)			(3,044)
Share-based compensation	752	0	752				752
Income tax impact related to share-based compensation	(229)		(229)				(229)
Balance at end of period at Apr. 30, 2015	$ 302,150	66,999	53,275	$ (56,406)	244,055	(5,863)	302,060	90
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Apr. 30, 2015	29,047,000			29,047,000
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2016	$ 268,865	67,006	54,830	$ (82,700)	233,156	(3,501)	268,791	74
Treasury stock at beginning of period (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2016	30,500,000			30,500,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income	$ 5,525				5,523		5,523	2
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	612					612	612
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(2)					(2)	(2)
Cash dividends	(4,701)		52		(4,753)		(4,701)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	$ (256)	35	(291)				(256)
Shares repurchased, Treasury Stock	382,065			382,000
Shares repurchased	$ (5,702)			$ (5,702)			(5,702)
Share-based compensation	456	0	456				456
Income tax impact related to share-based compensation	(292)		(292)				(292)
Balance at end of period at Apr. 30, 2016	$ 264,505	$ 67,041	$ 54,755	$ (88,402)	$ 233,926	$ (2,891)	$ 264,429	$ 76
Treasury stock at end of period (in shares) at Apr. 30, 2016	30,882,000			30,882,000