Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements (OCI) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			39 Months Ended
	Jun. 28, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Jun. 29, 2014	Jun. 28, 2015	Jun. 29, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2015
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net income	$ 64,629		$ 59,544	$ 150,317	$ 109,885
Foreign currency translation adjustments	3,740		8,437	(59,246)	1,102
Changes in defined benefit plans, net of tax	(1,125)		3,343	5,148	7,517
Changes in derivative financial instruments, net of tax	2,449		1,073	1,244	1,309
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	5,064		12,853	(52,854)	9,928
Comprehensive income	69,693		72,397	97,463	119,813
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(250)		(125)	(158)	(48)
Other comprehensive (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(470)		(254)	161	(135)
Comprehensive income attributable to Sonoco	$ 68,973		72,018	$ 97,466	119,630
Overstatement of Operating Results of a Packaging Services Center in Mexico [Member] | Previously Reported [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net income			61,609		113,834
Foreign currency translation adjustments			8,523		1,164
Changes in defined benefit plans, net of tax			(8,173)		(3,999)
Changes in derivative financial instruments, net of tax			1,073		1,309
Other comprehensive income/(loss)			1,423		(1,526)
Comprehensive income			63,032		112,308
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests			(125)		(48)
Other comprehensive (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			(254)		(135)
Comprehensive income attributable to Sonoco			62,653		112,125
Overstatement of Operating Results of a Packaging Services Center in Mexico [Member] | Effect of Restatement [Member]
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Net income		$ 2,139	(2,065)		(3,949)	$ 10,817	$ 9,758	$ 601	$ 23,315
Foreign currency translation adjustments			(86)		(62)
Changes in defined benefit plans, net of tax			11,516		11,516
Changes in derivative financial instruments, net of tax			0		0
Other comprehensive income/(loss)			11,430		11,454
Comprehensive income			9,365		7,505
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests			0		0
Other comprehensive (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests			0		0
Comprehensive income attributable to Sonoco			$ 9,365		$ 7,505