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]	redeemable noncontrolling interest [Member]
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2019	$ 308,957	$ 67,289	$ 59,655	$ (100,402)	$ 285,969	$ (3,556)	$ 308,955	$ 2
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	21,976				21,976		21,976
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(303)					(303)	(303)
Cash dividends	(9,353)		96		(9,449)		(9,353)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(721)	29	(750)				(721)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(2,320)	102	(2,422)				(2,320)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	(5,781)			(5,781)			(5,781)
Share-based compensation	2,548		2,548				2,548
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2019	$ 314,978	67,420	59,127	(106,183)	298,496	(3,884)	314,976	2
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.26
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 7
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Jan. 31, 2019									$ 0
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									0
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Jul. 31, 2019									0
Balance at beginning of period at Apr. 30, 2019	312,683	67,417	57,369	(102,683)	294,450	(3,872)	312,681	2
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	8,766				8,766		8,766	0
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	1					1	1
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(13)					(13)	(13)
Cash dividends	(4,671)		49		(4,720)		(4,671)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(54)	3	(57)				(54)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	(3,500)			(3,500)			(3,500)
Share-based compensation	1,766		1,766				1,766
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2019	$ 314,978	67,420	59,127	(106,183)	298,496	(3,884)	314,976	$ 2
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.13
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 3
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Apr. 30, 2019									0
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									0
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Jul. 31, 2019									0
Balance at beginning of period at Jan. 31, 2020	314,646	67,436	61,508	(111,183)	302,300	(5,415)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	9,866				9,866
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	(711)					(711)
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(5)					(5)
Reclassification and Redeption of Noncontrolling Interest (see Note 6)	215		215
Cash dividends	(9,318)		183		(9,501)
Shares issued on stock options exercised, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(113)	11	(124)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(638)	54	(692)
Share-based compensation	3,609		3,609
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2020	$ 317,551	67,510	64,690	(111,183)	302,665	(6,131)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.26
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 2
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Jan. 31, 2020									21,302
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									(98)
Recalassification and Redemption of Noncontrolling Interest (see Note 6)									(21,204)
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Jul. 31, 2020									0
Balance at beginning of period at Apr. 30, 2020	312,424	67,500	62,505	(111,183)	301,599	(7,997)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Nonredeemable Noncontrolling Interest	5,819				5,819
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment	1,868					1,868	$ 1,868
Postretirement benefits reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) after tax (expense) benefit	(2)					(2)
Cash dividends	(4,660)		93		(4,753)
Shares issued on vesting of stock units, net of shares withheld for employee taxes	(11)	1	(12)
Shares Granted, Value, Share-based Payment Arrangement, after Forfeiture	0	9	(9)
Share-based compensation	2,113		2,113
Balance at end of period at Jul. 31, 2020	$ 317,551	$ 67,510	$ 64,690	$ (111,183)	$ 302,665	$ (6,131)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared	$ 0.13
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax	$ 1
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Beginning Balance at Apr. 30, 2020									0
Increase (Decrease) in Temporary Equity [Roll Forward]
Net Income									0
Temporary Equity, Carrying Amount, Ending Balance at Jul. 31, 2020									$ 0