Beyond the Page: Interact Brands’ "Good Riddance" book

photo credit: Interact Brands

At D&K Printing, we’re no strangers to impossible requests. In fact, we thrive on them. So, when Interact Brands approached us with their latest project—a book about the reality of waste and sustainability titled Good Riddance—we knew we were in for a challenge.

The concept was brilliant: a hardover book that takes a hard look at the waste created by the consumer packaged goods industry. But to truly drive the message home, Interact didn’t just want a book about waste; they wanted a book that felt like it. Specifically, they wanted a cover that looked and felt exactly like a household trash bag.

The Challenge: Engineering the "Trash" Aesthetic

The vision was to screen print bold typography directly onto the thin, stretchy, flimsy plastic of a standard garbage bag. However, traditional printing presses and screen printing setups aren't designed to handle a substrate that melts under heat and stretches when pulled. Most vendors wouldn't even let the material near their equipment. We weren’t ready to tell Interact "no." so we proposed a new solution. We took standard black trash bags and carefully spray-mounted them onto black paper backing. This gave the plastic the rigidity of a traditional paper. Once the bond was set, we trimmed the mounted sheets to size so they could be fed into a press. We worked with a screen printing vendor who had never attempted this before. Because the trash bags now reacted like paper rather than loose plastic, we achieved a crisp, opaque white print that popped against the matte black plastic.

photo credit: Interact Brands

Why We Do It

Good Riddance is a masterclass in pushing the boundaries of what print can be. It required us to look past traditional methods and instead find a way to repurpose everyday materials into a piece of art.

We are incredibly proud to have partnered with Interact Brands on this. It’s a reminder that when you have a bold idea, you don't need a vendor who says "it can't be done"—you need a partner who is willing to grab the spray mount and figure it out.

Looking to push the boundaries on your next print project? Contact Tanner at tannerb@dkprinting.com to discuss the challenges of and solutions to your next project.

photo credit: Interact Brands