Fair Value (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2014	May 31, 2013	Feb. 28, 2014	Nov. 30, 2014
Personal Care | Trademarks
Assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis
Non-cash impairment charges	$ 9,000,000	$ 12,050,000
Non-cash impairment charges after tax	8,160,000	12,030,000
Fair Values
Liabilities:
Total liabilities			198,154,000	118,381,000
Fair Values | 3.90% unsecured Senior Notes
Liabilities:
Long-term debt			83,951,000	82,674,000
Fair Values | Long-term debt - floating rate
Liabilities:
Long-term debt			112,607,000	35,707,000
Fair Values | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2)
Liabilities:
Total liabilities			198,154,000	118,381,000
Fair Values | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2) | 3.90% unsecured Senior Notes
Liabilities:
Long-term debt			83,951,000	82,674,000
Fair Values | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2) | Long-term debt - floating rate
Liabilities:
Long-term debt			112,607,000	35,707,000
Fair Values | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2) | Discounted cash flow analysis | 3.90% unsecured Senior Notes
Liabilities:
Long-term debt				82,670,000
Fair value inputs
Discount rate (as a percent)			1.75%	1.76%
Recurring | Fair Values
Assets:
Total assets			1,549,000	532,000
Recurring | Fair Values | Foreign currency contracts
Assets:
Derivative assets				162,000
Recurring | Fair Values | Interest rate swaps and foreign currency contracts
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities			1,596,000
Recurring | Fair Values | Money market accounts
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			1,549,000	370,000
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Assets:
Total assets			1,549,000	370,000
Recurring | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Money market accounts
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents			1,549,000	370,000
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2)
Assets:
Total assets				162,000
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2) | Foreign currency contracts
Assets:
Derivative assets				162,000
Recurring | Significant Other Observable Market Inputs (Level 2) | Interest rate swaps and foreign currency contracts
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities			1,596,000
Non-recurring | Personal Care | Trademarks
Assets measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis
Non-cash impairment charges	9,000,000
Non-cash impairment charges after tax	$ 8,160,000