The CC41 label of the Second World War

CC41, standing for "Civilian Clothing 1941", was a mark used in the United Kingdom during World War II to designate clothing that met the government's austerity regulations.[1] The mark was used on so-called utility clothing and utility furniture manufactured during that period

The Utility call to action was symbolized by the lovely CC41 ‘two cheeses’ logo designed by Reginald Shipp. He designed it whilst working at Hargreaves label makers, London. The ‘CC’ originally stood for ‘civilian clothing’. The Civilian Clothing 41 label was placed onto a garment to show it was made to conform to the strict government clothing regulations. All clothing had to carry the CC41 symbol, which stands for Civilian Clothing 1941.

CC41 label clothing became a fashion icon that continues to collect more devotees to this day. CC41 refers to "Clothing Code, 1941" as part of the wartime specifications on cloth designed to preserve and reduce waste of raw material. This mark applied not only for clothing items, but also household items such as furniture, kitchen utilities etc. These items could have only be purchased by special coupons given to each family in limited supply.

The government took over the control of all imported raw material including cloth. Utility clothing was produced towards the end of 1941 to aid the economy and help the war effort. Clothes had to be designed and made from Government patterns so that the clothes were simple, plain and practical – and, most importantly, did not waste fabric. Garments were not allowed to have fancy pleats, hem allowances were minimal, and only a few functional fastenings were allowed as decoration. Many women wore their pre-war jewelry to accessorize the plain utility garments and add a touch of individual style.

In an attempt to boost morale, the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers led by Captain Molyneux, Norman Hartnell, Digby Morton, Victor Stiebel, Angèle Delange, Peter Russell, Madame Bianca Mosca and Hardy Amies created 34 smart Utility Clothing designs in 1942.
The designs were officially approved and bore the now famous, and even desirable, 'CC41' label. CC41 stands for "Clothing Control 1941" and the iconic label was designed by artist Reginald Shipp.
The 'Utility' clothing designs defined the 1940s fashion trend while sticking to the rigid rules of the CC41, those rules included;

•  Minimal cloth usage

•    No turn ups

•    Maximum button limits

•    No more than 2 pockets

•    No more than 4m stitching

•    And certainly NO unnecessary decoration!