Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Fair Value of Investment Held by Pension Plan (Detail)

v2.4.1.9
Fair Value of Investment Held by Pension Plan (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Jan. 03, 2015
Dec. 28, 2013
Dec. 29, 2012
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets $ 1,628,254us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets $ 1,467,526us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets $ 1,332,211us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
Cash and Cash Equivalents      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 65,008us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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US Treasury and Government      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 16us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Corporate Government and Foreign Bonds      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 986,125us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Alternative Investments      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 132,922us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Insurance Contracts      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 46,059us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Commodities      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets (1,393)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= vfc_CommoditiesMember 		[3] (1,505)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Equity Securities | Domestic      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 180,258us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Equity Securities | Foreign      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 219,259us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 1,827us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 | Cash and Cash Equivalents      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 3,220us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Quoted Prices In Active Markets For Identical Assets, Level 1 | Commodities      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets (1,393)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= vfc_CommoditiesMember
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 1,493,505us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member 		1,338,085us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 | Cash and Cash Equivalents      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 61,788us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 | US Treasury and Government      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 16us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 | Corporate Government and Foreign Bonds      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 986,125us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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= vfc_CorporateGovernmentAndForeignBondsMember
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 | Insurance Contracts      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 46,059us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 | Equity Securities | Domestic      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 180,258us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Other Observable Inputs, Level 2 | Equity Securities | Foreign      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 219,259us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Unobservable Inputs, Level 3      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets 132,922us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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Significant Unobservable Inputs, Level 3 | Alternative Investments      
Schedule of Pension Plan Assets by Fair Value [Line Items]      
Defined Benefit Plan, Fair Value of Plan Assets $ 132,922us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFairValueOfPlanAssets
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[1] Includes 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.
[2] Represents alternative investments primarily in funds of hedge funds.
[3] Consists of derivative commodity futures.