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Note 10 - Coal Mining Liability	12 Months Ended
Note 10 - Coal Mining Liability	Jan. 02, 2016
Notes to Financial Statements
Other Liabilities Disclosure [Text Block]	10. Coal Min ing Liability Included in other long-term liabilities is an accrual related to former coal mining operations at Littelfuse GmbH (formerly known as Heinrich Industries, AG) for the amounts of €1.8 million ($2.0 million) and €1.9 million ($2.4 million) at January 2, 2016 and December 27, 2014, respectively. Management, in conjunction with an independent third-party, performs an annual evaluation of the former coal mining operations in order to develop an estimate of the probable future obligations in regard to remediating the dangers (such as a shaft collapse) of abandoned coal mine shafts in the former coal mining operations. Management accrues for costs associated with such remediation efforts based on management's best estimate when such costs are probable and reasonably able to be estimated. The ultimate determination can only be done after respective investigations because the concrete conditions are mostly unknown at this time. The accrual is not discounted as management cannot reasonably estimate when such remediation efforts will take place.