According to a report from The Tampa Bay Times, "Nufit Knickers," which makes softball pants, cleats and other sporting goods, is sold from a Maitland-based company called 3N2, which does at least a portion of its manufacturing overseas.
A representative for the company apparently dismissed a question from the paper about the exact origin of the softball pants, but said 3N2 has "'multiple manufacturing facilities in the USA and abroad.'"
From the Times:
Patent records show Stephanie Murphy is an inventor of the $44.99 NuFit Knickers, and on a 2016 financial disclosure form, she reported company compensation in excess of $5,000.
Her House spokesman referred manufacturing questions to the company but noted that in 2013 Murphy, "as a private citizen," was retained as a paid contractor to work on softball pants, "utilizing the skills and expertise Ms. Murphy learned from her mother, who was a seamstress.'
A video posted to YouTube this morning shows the congresswoman avoiding questions on the matter.
Read the full story here.
Murphy's office has since responded to this story:
In the athletic apparel industry, there previously existed fit, fashion and function problems with women’s softball pants, which were simply smaller versions of men’s pants. In 2013, 3N2 retained Stephanie Murphy, a private citizen, as a paid contractor to lead an innovation design team for new women’s softball pants, utilizing the skills and expertise Ms. Murphy learned from her mother, who was a seamstress. The design created was so new and original that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted a design patent to the innovation team, and all patent rights were assigned to 3N2.
Ms. Murphy does not receive any royalties related to the patent, and she is not currently employed or contracted by 3N2 in any capacity. As 3N2 is a private company, all questions regarding 3N2’s operations, including its production processes, should be directed to the company itself.
Congresswoman Murphy is proud to represent a district that is a leader in advanced manufacturing for defense and civilian purposes, and she works hard in Congress to support the companies and highly-skilled workforce that make up this industry. She is also working to promote tax reform, regulatory reform, and other policy proposals that would incentivize companies of all sizes to create well-paying American jobs and spur economic growth.
In nine months in office, Congresswoman Murphy has passed five measures through the House that would help achieve these goals, namely a bill to improve the federal Microloan program, a bill to ensure that small businesses obtain their legally-required share of federal contracts, an amendment to increase funding for the Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Centers program, and a bill and an amendment to help high-tech small firms obtain funding under two key federal R&D programs.
