Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Retirement And Savings Benefit Plans (Schedule Of Fair Value Measurement) (Details)

v2.4.0.6
Retirement And Savings Benefit Plans (Schedule Of Fair Value Measurement) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Jan. 01, 2011
Jan. 02, 2010
Dec. 31, 2011
Cash And Cash Equivalents [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Cash And Cash Equivalents [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Equity Securities [Member]
Domestic [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Equity Securities [Member]
Domestic [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Equity Securities [Member]
Foreign [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Equity Securities [Member]
Foreign [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
U.S. Treasury And Government Agencies [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
U.S. Treasury And Government Agencies [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Corporate And International Bonds [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Corporate And International Bonds [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Real Estate [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Real Estate [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Insurance Contracts [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Insurance Contracts [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Commodities [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Commodities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Payable For Securities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Cash And Cash Equivalents [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Cash And Cash Equivalents [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Domestic [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Domestic [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Foreign [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Foreign [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
U.S. Treasury And Government Agencies [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
U.S. Treasury And Government Agencies [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Real Estate [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Real Estate [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Commodities [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 [Member]
Commodities [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Cash And Cash Equivalents [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Cash And Cash Equivalents [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Domestic [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Domestic [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Foreign [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Equity Securities [Member]
Foreign [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
U.S. Treasury And Government Agencies [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
U.S. Treasury And Government Agencies [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Corporate And International Bonds [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Corporate And International Bonds [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Real Estate [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Insurance Contracts [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Insurance Contracts [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Payable For Securities [Member]
Jan. 01, 2011
Discretionary Contribution [Member]
Jan. 02, 2010
Discretionary Contribution [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]                                                                                                        
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets $ 1,144,178 $ 1,211,588 $ 1,034,368 $ 38,200 [1] $ 150,666 [1] $ 330,663 $ 428,127 $ 229,580 $ 185,459 $ 132,696 $ 107,823 $ 393,884 $ 290,698 $ 38,512 $ 22,368 [2] $ 28,779 $ 23,555 $ (236) [3] $ 2,892 [3] $ (47,900) [4] $ 589,295 $ 635,276 $ 6,086 [1] $ 1,220 [1] $ 329,455 $ 427,120 $ 101,452 $ 113,410 $ 114,026 $ 88,634 $ 38,512 $ 2,000 [2] $ (236) [3] $ 2,892 [3] $ 554,883 $ 576,312 $ 32,114 [1] $ 149,446 [1] $ 1,208 $ 1,007 $ 128,128 $ 72,049 $ 18,670 $ 19,189 $ 393,884 $ 290,698 $ 20,368 [2] $ 28,779 $ 23,555 $ (47,900) [4]    
VF contributions $ 10,232 $ 113,460                                                                                                 $ 100,000 $ 200,000
[1] Both years include cash held by individual investment managers of other asset classes for liquidity purposes. Level 2 includes an institutional fund that invests primarily in short-term U.S. government securities. 2010 includes $100.0 million contributed to the plan by VF in late 2010 that had not been allocated to individual investment managers.
[2] 2010 includes institutional funds that invest directly in U.S. real estate properties and U.S. real estate securities.
[3] Consists of derivative commodity futures.
[4] Represents payable for purchased securities not yet settled.