Procurement FAQ
The thirty questions buyers ask before they sign a tent or tarpaulin PO from a Pakistani manufacturer. Specs, lead times, INCOTERMS, payment, samples, certifications, custom orders.
Who you're buying from.
Is BNC a tent manufacturer or a trader?
BNC is a manufacturer. We own and operate a tent factory in Clifton, Karachi , the same family has run it since 1994. Most Pakistani tent storefronts on Alibaba and IndiaMART are trading offices that mark up product from one of the few real factories. The address on our export paperwork is the address where the canvas is cut, sewn and inspected.
Are BNC tents UNHCR / ICRC / UNICEF approved?
We are a registered supplier on the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM) and have direct purchase history with UNHCR, ICRC, UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, IOM, OCHA, OXFAM, MDM, ADRA, Muslim Aid, and Red Cross/Red Crescent national societies. Our product specifications match published UNHCR family relief tent specs and IFRC plastic-sheeting standards. Buyers should run their own qualification process; we provide all documentation requested.
Why source tents from Pakistan rather than China, Turkey, or India?
Pakistan has been a primary humanitarian-tent manufacturing hub since the 1970s , the Afghan refugee responses drove the industry to scale. Karachi factories operate at scale that smaller Indian producers cannot match, while Chinese alternatives often lack per-batch third-party certification UN buyers require. Turkey is competitive on military tents but more expensive on cotton canvas. The choice usually comes down to relationship, certification depth, and lead time to the destination , and Pakistan wins on all three for in-region (Middle East, East Africa, South Asia) buyers.
Can buyers visit the factory?
Yes , we welcome buyer visits. The factory tour takes about ninety minutes and answers most procurement-qualification questions. We can usually accommodate visits on 48-72 hour notice. UNHCR, ICRC and OXFAM have all visited at various points. Karachi is two hours from Dubai and four from Istanbul , many UN procurement officers fold a visit into existing regional travel.
What we make and how we make it.
What tent products does BNC manufacture?
Six product lines: disaster relief tents (UNHCR FRT, IFRC double-fly), military tents (center-pole canvas, frame marquees, command-post), refugee/UNHCR family tents, canvas tents (heavy-duty wall and ridge), camping tents (safari, dome, party, scout , wholesale only), and tarpaulins/plastic sheeting (IFRC/ICRC/IOM unified spec). All produced on the same factory floor.
What is the UNHCR family relief tent specification?
The UNHCR family relief tent (FRT) is a 4.4m × 6.6m double-fly tent with cotton canvas walls (200 g/m²), cotton canvas roof (350 g/m²), galvanised steel poles, and reinforced groundsheet. It accommodates a family of five, has a usable life of 6-12 months under tropical sun, and ships in a transport bag with poles, pegs and guy ropes. UNHCR procurement officers maintain the spec; we manufacture to the current published version.
What canvas weights do you use?
Our standard cotton canvas is 510 GSM (grams per square metre) for body fabric and 610 GSM for high-stress panels (corner reinforcements, door flaps, military command tents). Lighter 280-350 GSM is used on relief-tent roofs and pop-up canvas tents. Synthetic-blend options (cotton-polyester duck) are available where the buyer specifies. We hold canvas in stock; specialty weights are sourced per run.
What's the difference between cotton canvas and synthetic tent fabric?
Cotton canvas is heavier (510-610 GSM), breathes well, dampens condensation, and lasts 6-10 years in field service when properly stored , but is more expensive and slower to dry. Synthetic blends (polyester, cotton-poly duck) are lighter (180-280 GSM), faster to dry, less expensive, and more uniform , but less breathable and shorter service life. UNHCR and military buyers tend to specify cotton; commercial event-tent buyers often choose synthetic. We make both.
How are BNC tents waterproofed?
Cotton canvas is treated with a chrome-wax-silicone blend at our in-house treatment line. The treatment is applied after weaving and before cutting, then re-tested for water-column rating before assembly. Standard treatment achieves 200-300mm water column , sufficient for monsoon rain. Heavy-rain spec (500mm+) is available where the buyer needs it. Treatment is reapplied at the seven-year mark for tents in continuous service.
Do BNC tents have flame-retardant treatment?
Optional on tents, mandatory on tarpaulins. Tarpaulins ship with EN 13823+A1 class D-s2-d2 fire-retardancy as the IFRC standard. Tents can be specified with flame-retardant treatment (similar EN classification) at additional cost , typically 8-12% over base. Military tents for some buyers are produced to BS 5867 fire-resistance; relief tents to UN spec.
What sizes do you manufacture beyond the standard catalogue?
The catalogue lists the most-ordered sizes , 4m × 6m tarpaulins, 4.4m × 6.6m UNHCR FRT, 16ft × 16ft military center-pole, etc. Beyond these we produce custom dimensions on order: 4m × 5m and 5m × 7m tarpaulins, 5m × 8m and 7m × 10m wall tents, 4m, 5m, 6m and larger frame marquees. Engineering drawings for custom sizing are produced in-house.
Do you supply tents and tarpaulins for non-humanitarian use?
Yes. Roughly 30% of the order book is commercial , glamping operators, event-tent rental companies, government catering and ceremony tents, agricultural ground-cover, construction-site tarpaulin, and wholesale camping retailers. Same factory, same canvas, different decoration and finishing standards. The IFRC tarpaulin spec is identical whether it goes to a refugee camp or a curing concrete pad , we just price it differently.
Quantities, timelines, samples.
What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ)?
Standard humanitarian and military product MOQ is 100 units. For UNHCR/IFRC pre-stock tarpaulins, MOQ is 500 units. For custom-spec tents (non-standard sizing, branded marking, country-specific modification) the MOQ rises to 250-500 depending on complexity. Smaller pilot orders down to 10 units are negotiable for first-time buyers , ask.
Do you have a minimum order in USD?
Functional minimum is roughly USD 8,000-12,000 per order, though we frequently accept smaller pilot orders for first-time buyers. The lower bound exists because of fixed export documentation, banking, and freight overhead , below that the per-unit cost gets uncomfortably high. Most active orders run USD 50,000-500,000.
What's the lead time on a typical order?
Ex-stock orders ship within 72 hours by airlift or 5-7 working days for container loading. Custom-spec runs (1,000-5,000 units) typically take 3-5 weeks from PO confirmation. Larger campaigns (10,000+ units) run 6-10 weeks at full factory capacity. Emergency response orders bypass the standard queue , we have run 24-hour-turn airlifts for sudden-onset disasters.
Can BNC handle a multi-thousand-unit emergency order?
Yes, with capacity caveats. Peak monthly output is ~12,000 small tents and ~2,500 large frame tents, scaled by adding shifts. For sudden 5,000-10,000 unit emergencies, we can deliver in 2-3 weeks if ready stock and pre-cut materials are aligned. For 50,000+ unit campaigns, we coordinate with our network of contract manufacturers under our supervision and QA , but we do not subcontract without telling the buyer.
Can I get a sample before placing a bulk order?
Yes. Sample tents and tarpaulin cut-offs are available for buyer evaluation. For finished tent samples, the buyer covers material cost (typically USD 80-250 depending on product) plus airfreight; if the order proceeds, this cost is credited to the bulk invoice. For tarpaulin material samples (1m × 1m cut-offs) we usually waive the cost , just cover the courier.
Getting product to your destination.
What INCOTERMS do you quote on?
Default quote is FOB Karachi (free on board, Karachi Port). EXW (factory gate) is also available for buyers consolidating their own freight. For UN agencies and INGO buyers, we routinely quote DDP (delivered duty paid) to the destination port, which folds in our forwarder relationships and customs clearance. CIF and CFR variants on request. Airlift consolidations typically run on CPT (carriage paid to) destination airport.
How quickly can BNC airlift to a disaster zone?
Karachi factory to Jinnah International Airport: 2 hours by truck. Cargo bay to a destination airport in East Africa, the Middle East, the Gulf, or South Asia: 24-48 hours via DHL Aviation, Saudia Cargo, or Turkish Cargo. Total confirmed-PO-to-destination-airport: 48-72 hours when ready stock matches the order. We've done it for 2005 Kashmir, 2010 floods, 2022 Pakistan super-flood, and 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquake.
Do you ship to landlocked countries (Afghanistan, Nepal, Chad, etc.)?
Yes. For Afghanistan, surface freight via Karachi-Torkham or Karachi-Chaman is standard. For Nepal we ship via Kolkata transshipment. For East African and Sahel landlocked routes (Ethiopia, Chad, South Sudan) we work with our forwarders for road consolidation from Mombasa or Djibouti. Customs and transit permits are coordinated by the buyer in-country; we provide all export paperwork from Karachi.
What's the shelf life of a tent in palletised storage?
Sealed, palletised, indoor storage at moderate temperature: 24+ months for tarpaulins, 36+ months for cotton-canvas tents. After that, periodic rotation through field deployment is recommended to prevent fabric stiffness from prolonged folding. UNHCR and ICRC stockpiles rotate every 18-24 months , we typically resupply on that cadence.
How invoices and remittance work.
What payment terms do you accept?
Standard terms: 30% advance via wire transfer on PO confirmation, 70% against shipping documents. For UN procurement and major INGOs we accept letter of credit (LC) at sight. For first-time buyers we may request 50/50. We can also work via bank guarantee for very large campaigns. Bank details and beneficiary information shared on signed PO. We invoice in USD; PKR available on request.
Documentation and quality assurance.
Do you provide third-party test certificates?
Yes, per batch. Tensile and elongation testing per ISO 1421-1 (warp + weft), weight-per-square-metre verification, and (for tarpaulins) fire-retardancy certification per EN 13823+A1. Reports come from independent Karachi-based textile testing labs and are filed against the purchase order. UN buyers request these as standard; we share automatically without an extra ask.
Do you have ISO certification?
Yes , ISO 9001 quality management system certification covering manufacturing, testing, and shipment processes. Certificate available on request and shared automatically with UN/INGO buyers as part of supplier qualification. We do not yet hold ISO 14001 (environmental) , that's on the 2027 roadmap.
How does BNC handle quality assurance?
Three layers: (1) raw material assay on canvas batches before they enter cutting; (2) random in-line sampling , every fifth tent pitched indoors and walked over; (3) third-party lab testing on a per-batch basis (tensile, weight, fire-retardancy where applicable). Reports filed with the purchase order before shipment. Customer complaints route to a 30-day investigation and replacement window , our claim rate runs under 1%.
Tailoring product to your spec.
Do you make custom-spec tents?
Yes. Custom dimensions, custom canvas weights, custom liner configurations, custom marking (logo print, country-of-deployment marking, NGO branding), custom hardware (specialty eyelets, rope grades), winterised liners, mosquito-net inner-tents , all are routinely produced. MOQ for custom is 250-500 units depending on the variation. We share a tech drawing for sign-off before cutting.
Can you brand tents with our NGO or military insignia?
Yes. We screen-print or heat-press logos and identifying marks onto canvas before assembly. We follow buyer-supplied artwork specs. Branded marking adds 3-5 working days to production lead time. For UN agency markings (UNHCR blue/white) we follow the published UN visual identity guidelines.
Repair, warranty, follow-up support.
Are BNC tents repairable in the field?
Yes , cotton canvas is field-repairable with patch kits using the same canvas grade. We supply repair kits with bulk orders on request (canvas patches, polyester thread, sailmaker's needles, eyelet replacement hardware). Major canvas damage (more than 30% of a panel) is generally not field-repairable; replacement is recommended. Pole and hardware breakage is straightforward to address with field-stocked spares.
Does BNC offer tent installation or pitching services?
Within Pakistan, yes , we maintain a small installation crew that pitches military and event tents on-site. Internationally, no , we ship product and the buyer handles installation through their own field teams. We do supply detailed pitching instructions in-pack and can run remote video training for buyer staff on request.
What about post-sale support and warranty?
Workmanship warranty is twelve months from the date of factory dispatch. Material defect warranty is six months from the date of first deployment. Claims are handled within 30 days; replacements ship at our cost via the original freight mode. The warranty does not cover damage from mis-pitching, wind events beyond design rating, fire, or end-of-life fabric degradation. Our claim rate runs under 1% across the order book.
Who do I talk to if I want to start a procurement conversation?
Email info@tentsplace.com or message +92 300 823 9990 on WhatsApp , both reach the managing director directly. We respond within one business day, usually same day during Karachi hours (UTC+5). For UN/INGO procurement officers we can move on a faster cycle , flag the urgency and we'll prioritise.
Question we didn't cover?
Drop the question in the contact form or send it on WhatsApp. We'll add it to this page if it's something other buyers will want to read too.