The Ministry of Shirts Secures Australia's First ROQ IMPRESS DTF Heat Transfer Press from GJS

The announcement was made from the floor of PacPrint 2025, where GJS is currently exhibiting, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to bring the latest international advancements in garment decoration and automation to Australian printers.

The ROQ IMPRESS is the latest innovation in ROQ’s growing portfolio of digital, automated solutions developed specifically for direct-to-film (DTF) heat transfer processes. The system secured by The Ministry of Shirts also includes the ROQ FEED, an automatic loading device that efficiently positions DTF transfers onto garments. Together, these combine to offer a high-speed, high-production, highly automated workflow, reducing manual labour requirements, and improving quality control.

“Australian garment decorators are increasingly recognising the importance of automation to maintain competitiveness and ensure consistent product quality,” said Greg Stone, managing director, GJS. “By securing the first ROQ IMPRESS system in Australia, complete with ROQ FEED, The Ministry of Shirts will be future-proofing its operations and setting a new benchmark for what’s possible in high-volume DTF production,” Stone added.

Rising labour costs in Australia have prompted many apparel decorators to re-evaluate their production workflows. Printers need to find smarter, more scalable ways to meet demand without increasing headcount. In this environment, automation is no longer a luxury, it’s a strategic necessity. Technologies like the ROQ IMPRESS, coupled with the ROQ FEED allow businesses to maintain output and quality while reducing manual touchpoints and improving operational efficiency.

The Ministry of Shirts has quickly built a national reputation for delivering sustainable, high-quality custom apparel to customers across Australia. The company specialises in screen printing and embroidery, catering to a diverse range of clients, from corporate organisations and local businesses to schools, breweries, sports apparel, churches, and community groups.

“In addition to screen printing we have had DTF for a while now and have found it to be a complimentary option for our customers with varying colour requirements and order sizes. The problem has always been how to press fast enough to make it a sustainable option in a high-end commercial environment.

“The ROQ IMPRESS solves that problem in one go. To acquire a DTF press that can keep up with our traditional inked automatics is a dream for any print shop; and means we can offer our customers faster turnaround and best value colour prints on smaller runs,” said Sam Austin-Miner, co-founder and Director at The Ministry of Shirts.

With its new ROQ IMPRESS, The Ministry of Shirts will be positioned to dramatically increase production capabilities. The ROQ IMPRESS can press up to 500 garments per hour, with precise control over heat, time, and pressure parameters. The addition of the ROQ FEED automates one of the most labour-intensive stages of the DTF process—placing the printed DTF film on each garment—creating a faster and more consistent production workflow and output.

“Adding another auto to a print shop is always a daunting process. Not least because it means training up a new team to run a new press, and that takes time as well as increases the cost of overhead in personnel; but what excites me most about the ROQ IMPRESS is it means we can add a complimentary technology that can match the speed of our automatics but run it with fewer people around the press using labour that is less skilled. This means we can keep our key screen printer’s happy with their skillset being used on what they do best,” Austin-Miner added.

This investment by The Ministry of Shirts also shows the continued appetite in Australia for ROQ’s technology. Since GJS became ROQ’s exclusive distributor in Australia and New Zealand in late 2023, the brand has seen strong, consistent interest with several major install sites now located around the country. “The decision by The Ministry of Shirts to embrace this full suite of ROQ automation speaks volumes about the direction of DTF printing in Australia. Automation is no longer an optional extra, it’s an imperative for businesses that want to thrive in today’s competitive garment decoration market,” Stone concluded.

The ROQ IMPRESS, ROQ FEED, and other automation components such as the ROQ PEEL which automatically removes DTF transfer film, and the ROQ PULL+, which removes garments and stacks them on a conveyor belt are all available Australia-wide exclusively via GJS.

For more information, free call 1800 457 888 or email: sales@gjs.co