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Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] Five Point Two Five Percent Senior Notes due Twenty Twenty Seven Member [Member] Five Point Two Five Percent Senior Notes due Twenty Twenty Seven Member [Member] Five Point Two Five Percent Senior Notes due Twenty Twenty Seven Member Amortization of intangible assets Amortization of Intangible Assets Weighted-average useful life Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life Remaining capacity under authorization Stock Repurchase Program, Remaining Authorized Repurchase Amount Gain on modification of retail store leases Gain on modification of retail store leases Gain on modification of retail store leases Variable Lease, Cost Variable Lease, Cost Deferred Tax Assets, Net, Total Deferred Tax Assets, Net Deferred employee benefits Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Benefits Anti-dilutive shares excluded from dilutive earnings per share calculations (1) Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount Operating Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent Operating Lease, Weighted Average Discount Rate, Percent United States Dollar Credit Facility [Member] United States Dollar Credit Facility [Member] United States Dollar Credit Facility [Member] Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings, Tax Effect Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings, Tax Effect Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance Granted (in dollars per share) Fair value per share Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] Actual return on plan assets Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Increase (Decrease) for Actual Return (Loss) Title of Individual [Domain] Title of Individual [Domain] Minimum liquidity Minimum liquidity Minimum liquidity Award Type [Domain] Award Type [Domain] Local Phone Number Local Phone Number Net deferred tax liability Net deferred tax liability [Table Text Block] A tabular disclosure of net deferred tax liability as classified on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet. 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Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares) Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding Entity Address, State or Province Entity Address, State or Province Accrued employee benefits Accrued Employee Benefits, Current Current liabilities: Liabilities, Current [Abstract] Aggregate value Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues Receivable [Domain] Receivable [Domain] REVENUE RECOGNITION Revenue [Policy Text Block] Provision for income taxes Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block] Weighted- average exercise price per share, Exercisable (in dollars per share) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION Share-based Payment Arrangement [Text Block] Guarantor subsidiaries percentage of ownership Guarantor subsidiaries percentage of ownership Guarantor subsidiaries percentage of ownership Senior notes Senior Notes [Member] LEASES Lessee, Leases [Policy Text Block] Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Postretirement Benefit Obligations, Net Unrealized Gain (Loss) Arising During Period, Net of Tax Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Postretirement Benefit Obligations, Net Unrealized Gain (Loss) Arising During Period, Net of Tax Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Postretirement Benefit Obligations, Net Unrealized Gain (Loss) Arising During Period, Net of Tax Defined Contribution Plan Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member] Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used in Calculation, Description Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate, Percent Change Defined Benefit Plan, Assumptions Used Calculating Benefit Obligation, Discount Rate, Percent Change Equity Securities [Member] International blend [Member] Equity Securities [Member] Accounting Policies [Abstract] Accounting Policies [Abstract] 2025 Defined Benefit Plan, Expected Future Benefit Payment, Year Four Weighted-average remaining contractual terms (years), Outstanding Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Term Retirement Plan Sponsor Location [Axis] Retirement Plan Sponsor Location [Axis] Federal Current Federal Tax Expense (Benefit) Outstanding letters of credit Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount Operating Lease, Liability Operating Lease, Liability Consolidated Net Sales by Product Revenue from External Customers by Products and Services [Table Text Block] Document Transition Report Document Transition Report Common stock, voting; par value $0.01 per share; 150,000,000 shares authorized; 41,148,870 and 43,780,075 shares issued and outstanding at January 1, 2022 and January 2, 2021, respectively Common Stock, Value, Issued Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items] Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items] Cooperative advertising arrangements, fair value Cooperative advertising arrangements, fair value The fair value as of the balance sheet date of cooperative advertising arrangements included in sales, general and administrative expense. Weighted-average expense recognition period (in years) Share-based Payment Arrangement, Nonvested Award, Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition Weighted-average grant-date fair value outstanding (in dollars per share) Weighted-average grant-date fair value outstanding (in dollars per share) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Nonvested, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Customer Concentration Risk Customer Concentration Risk [Member] U.S. Large-Cap growth [Member] Equity Funds [Member] Performance-based Awards Performance Shares [Member] Performance Shares [Member] Postretirement Benefit Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member] Commitments and contingencies Commitments and Contingencies Subsequent Event [Table] Subsequent Event [Table] LEASES Lessee, Operating Leases [Text Block] Accumulated other comprehensive loss Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), beginning balance Accumulated other 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Alternatively, disclosure of the required information may be within the footnotes to the financial statements or a supplemental schedule to the financial statements. 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par value (USD per share) Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Entity Public Float Entity Public Float Benefit from stock-based compensation Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Percent Documents Incorporated by Reference Documents Incorporated by Reference [Text Block] Equity Component [Domain] Equity Component [Domain] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period Three [Member] Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares 2022 Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, to be Paid, Year One Number of shares issued Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table] Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table] Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Category [Axis] Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Category [Axis] Three Wholesale Customers Three Wholesale Customers [Member] Three Wholesale Customers Debt Issuance Costs, Gross Debt Issuance Costs, Gross International [Member] International [Member] International segment. 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Customer [Axis] Customer [Axis] EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS Retirement Benefits [Text Block] USE OF ESTIMATES IN THE PREPARATION OF THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block] Reconciliation of basic common shares outstanding to diluted common and common equivalent shares outstanding Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted [Table Text Block] Interest accrued for uncertain tax positions Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued Document Annual Report Document Annual Report Total other comprehensive income Total other comprehensive income (loss) Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent Foreign currency impact Goodwill, Translation and Purchase Accounting Adjustments Amortization of intangible assets Amortization of Tradenames Amortization of Tradenames Title of 12(b) Security Title of 12(b) Security Deferred rent Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Deferred Rent Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock Total assets Assets Director [Member] Director [Member] Common stock, voting; shares authorized (in shares) Common Stock, Shares Authorized Net income available to common shareholders Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Diluted Geographical [Domain] Geographical [Domain] Settlement of uncertain tax positions Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Tax Settlement, Percent Net income available to common shareholders Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic Title of Individual [Axis] Title of Individual [Axis] Document Type Document Type Product and Service [Domain] Product and Service [Domain] Time-based awards Time Based Awards [Member] Time Based Awards [Member] Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Nonproduction Stated interest rate Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries Undistributed Earnings of Foreign Subsidiaries Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] Secured revolving credit facility Revolving Credit Facility [Member] Contract with Customer, Refund Liability, Current Contract with Customer, Refund Liability, Current SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] Net cash provided by operating activities Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items] Inventory, net, by segment Inventory, net, by segment [Table Text Block] Tabular disclosure of carrying amount (lower of cost or market) as of the balance sheet date of inventories less all valuation and other allowances, which is attributed to the reportable segment. Fair Value, Recurring and Nonrecurring [Table] Fair Value, Recurring and Nonrecurring [Table] Carter's Goodwill [Member] Carters Goodwill [Member] Retail Store Fixtures, Equipment, and Computers [Member] Furniture and Fixtures [Member] Reclassification of proceeds from sale of investments Reclassification of proceeds from sale of investments Reclassification of proceeds from sale of investments Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table] Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table] Lease Expense Lease, Cost [Table Text Block] Corporate Bond Securities [Member] Corporate Bond Securities [Member] Cash and Cash Equivalents [Line Items] Cash and Cash Equivalents [Line Items] Subsequent Event [Line Items] Subsequent Event [Line Items] Geographical [Axis] Geographical [Axis] Basic number of common shares outstanding (in shares) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic Diluted net income per common share (in USD per share) Earnings Per Share, Diluted Segments [Domain] Segments [Domain] Service cost Service cost - benefits attributed to service during the period Defined Benefit Plan, Service Cost Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Gain (Loss), before Tax Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Gain (Loss), before Tax Income taxes paid in cash Income Taxes Paid, Net Sales [Member] Sales [Member] Royalty income, net Royalty Income from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assess Royalty Income from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assess Cost of goods sold Cost Of Revenue (Cost of Goods Sold) Cost Of Revenue (Cost of Goods Sold) Accrued other Other Accrued Liabilities Comprehensive income Comprehensive income Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent Tradenames, net Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill) Average price of repurchased and retired shares Treasury Stock Acquired Average Cost Per Shares The cumulative cost of shares repurchased divided by the cumulative number of shares repurchased. 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shares outstanding (in shares) Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding Proceeds from senior notes due 2027 Proceeds From Issuance Of Senior Notes Debt Proceeds From Issuance Of Senior Notes Debt Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member] Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member] Document Period End Date Document Period End Date Restricted stock activity (in shares) Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Restricted Stock Award, Net of Forfeitures Percentage of total net sales International Sales, Percentage Of Total Net Sales International Sales, Percentage Of Total Net Sales Entity Central Index Key Entity Central Index Key Concentration Risk Benchmark [Domain] Concentration Risk Benchmark [Domain] Skip Hop Customer Relationships [Member] Skip Hop Customer Relationships [Member] Skip Hop Customer Relationships [Member] 5130 Wholesale, Apparel, Piece Goods and Notions [Member] 5130 Wholesale, Apparel, Piece Goods and Notions [Member] Stock Options (Number of shares) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding [Roll Forward] Acquired Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] Acquired Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] Deferred tax assets: Deferred Tax Assets, Gross [Abstract] State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes, Percent State Deferred State and Local Income Tax Expense (Benefit) Property, plant, and equipment Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block] Lease, Cost, Total Lease, Cost Reductions for prior year tax positions Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Decrease Resulting from Prior Period Tax Positions Customer Relationships [Member] Customer Relationships [Member] Income allocated to participating securities Undistributed Earnings (Loss) Allocated to Participating Securities, Diluted Property, plant, and equipment, net Property, plant, and equipment, net Property, Plant and Equipment, Net PROPERTY, PLANT, AND EQUIPMENT Property, Plant and Equipment Disclosure [Text Block] Accounts Receivable [Abstract] Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable, Gross, Allowance, and Net [Abstract] Other long-term liabilities Other Liabilities, Noncurrent Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation Benefit obligation at beginning of period Benefit obligation at end of period Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation maximum disclosure percentage of net sales maximum disclosure percentage of net sales maximum disclosure percentage of net sales Schedule of long-term debt Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments [Table Text Block] Future Amortization Expense Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Future Amortization Expense [Table Text Block] FISCAL YEAR Fiscal Period, Policy [Policy Text Block] Marketable Securities Marketable Securities Debt Instrument [Line Items] Debt Instrument [Line Items] Trading Symbol Trading Symbol Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Earnings Per Share [Abstract] Property, plant and equipment, gross Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross Foreign currency translation adjustments Cumulative translation adjustment, current year change Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent Other Deferred Tax Liabilities, Other International Segment [Member] International Segment [Member] International Segment. Vested and expected to vest (in shares) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number Additional Restricted Payments Additional Restricted Payments Additional Restricted Payments Carters Mexico [Member] Carters Mexico [Member] Carters Mexico [Member] Benefit obligation Defined Benefit Plan, Weighted Average Assumptions Used in Calculating Benefit Obligation [Abstract] Weighted- average exercise price per share beginning balance (in dollars per share) Weighted- average exercise price per share ending balance (in dollars per share) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Minimum service participation for the defined contribution plan (in months) Minimum service participation for the defined contribution plan Minimum service requirement in months for participation in the defined contribution plan. 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voting; par value (USD per share) Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract] Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract] Current assets: Assets, Current [Abstract] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member] Debt Instrument, Redemption, Period One [Member] Finite intangible assets, Gross amount Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Gross Leases [Abstract] Leases [Abstract] INCOME TAXES Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] LIBOR [Member] London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Property, plant and equipment additions Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions IMPAIRMENT OF OTHER LONG-LIVED ASSETS Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block] Entity Address, Postal Zip Code Entity Address, Postal Zip Code Contract with Customer, Sales Channel [Domain] Contract with Customer, Sales Channel [Domain] Exercise of stock options (in shares) Exercised (in shares) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Exercises in Period Foreign currency contracts [Abstract] Foreign currency contracts [Abstract] Foreign currency contracts [Abstract] Diluted number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding (in shares) Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted Domestic Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Domestic Accrued interest Interest Payable, Current INCOME TAXES Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block] Long-term Debt, Type [Axis] Long-term Debt, Type [Axis] Summary of stock option activity Share-based Payment Arrangement, Option, Activity [Table Text Block] COMMON STOCK Stockholders' Equity Note Disclosure [Text Block] Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss, Writeoff Components of post retirement benefit expense and pension expense Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block] 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[Member] Building and Building Improvements [Member] Effect of changes in operating assets and liabilities: Increase (Decrease) in Operating Capital [Abstract] Entity Address, Address Line Three Entity Address, Address Line Three Retirement Plan Sponsor Location [Domain] Retirement Plan Sponsor Location [Domain] Accumulated depreciation and amortization Accumulated Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization, Property, Plant, and Equipment Cash flows from operating activities: Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities [Abstract] Vested (in dollars per share) Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period, Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block] Entity Shell Company Entity Shell Company Unrecognized tax benefits Summary of Positions for which Significant Change in Unrecognized Tax Benefits is Reasonably Possible [Table Text Block] Total 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Customer relationships, net Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill), Customer Relationships Intangible Assets, Net (Excluding Goodwill), Customer Relationships Income taxes payable Accrued Income Taxes, Current Maximum disclosure percentage for gross accounts receivable Maximum disclosure percentage gross accounts receivable The maximum customer concentration of sales or accounts receivable being separately disclosed, as of the balance sheet date. INVENTORIES Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block] Foreign Current Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit) Tax reserve for which statute of limitations is expected to expire Tax Reserve Statue Of Limitation Expected To Expire Tax reserve for which statute of limitations is expected to expire. 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