Quaterly Information (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								7 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019	Jul. 31, 2019	Apr. 30, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 31, 2018	Apr. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2018	Aug. 31, 2017	Jan. 31, 2020	Jan. 31, 2019	Jan. 31, 2018
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 85,761,000	$ 100,533,000	$ 98,058,000	$ 98,178,000	$ 88,022,000	$ 104,833,000	$ 102,684,000	$ 111,129,000			$ 382,530,000	$ 406,668,000	$ 377,317,000
Gross Profit	27,039,000	30,304,000	31,338,000	35,066,000	25,290,000	32,653,000	34,608,000	39,998,000			123,747,000	132,549,000	121,565,000
Operating Income	2,916,000	11,332,000	10,570,000	15,121,000	3,361,000	13,612,000	16,629,000	21,531,000			39,939,000	55,133,000	59,170,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	2,613,000	11,416,000	10,953,000	15,052,000	3,584,000	14,286,000	16,490,000	27,210,000			40,034,000	61,570,000	58,986,000
Net income attributable to Raven Industries, Inc.	$ 3,286,000	$ 9,934,000	$ 8,766,000	$ 13,210,000	$ 2,950,000	$ 13,032,000	$ 13,677,000	$ 22,135,000			$ 35,196,000	$ 51,794,000	$ 41,022,000
Net income per share - basic (in usd per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.28	$ 0.24	$ 0.37	$ 0.08	$ 0.36	$ 0.38	$ 0.62			$ 0.98	$ 1.44	$ 1.14
Net income per share - diluted (in usd per share)	0.09	0.28	0.24	0.36	0.08	0.36	0.38	0.61			0.97	1.42	$ 1.13
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Cash Paid	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.13	$ 0.13			$ 0.52	$ 0.52
Equity Method Investment, Realized Gain (Loss) on Disposal											$ 0	$ 5,785,000	$ 0
Applied Technology
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Net sales											130,460,000	129,749,000	124,688,000
Operating Expenses	$ 3,152,000
Engineered Films
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Net sales											197,719,000	226,574,000	213,298,000
SST | Applied Technology | Other Nonoperating Income (Expense)
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment, Realized Gain (Loss) on Disposal								$ 5,785,000				5,785,000
CLI | Engineered Films
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Net sales									$ 21,568,000	$ 4,109,000
Hurricane Recovery Film | Engineered Films
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 27,000	$ 1,010,000	$ 806,000	$ 17,000	$ 4,065,000	$ 1,510,000	$ 0	8,919,000			$ 1,860,000	14,494,000	$ 24,225,000
Charitable Gift
Quarterly Information [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period								$ 4,503,000				$ 4,503,000