There it sits on the rack, urging you to run your fingers through its fabric, try it on and take it to the till. But is there a similar item you’ll demote to the back of the wardrobe or, even worse, throw away?

If so, you’re not alone. The stats are mind-boggling:

• An estimated £140 million of clothes are thrown away every year.

• One-third of clothes clogging up our wardrobes haven’t been worn for a year or more.

• This week the British government announced a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the UK to zero by 2050.

That means we’re all going to need to change our ways and reduce, reuse and recycle – and ditch our throwaway habits fast.

Watching a David Attenborough documentary then tweeting a sad face emoji isn’t enough.

Here are some you can do your bit:

• Follow the slow style road – When you buy new clothes, have them altered to fit perfectly so you’ll wear them more often. You’ll be in good company. TV icon Mary Berry revealed in a recent Daily Mail interview that she has a seamstress who alters nearly everything she buys. The queen of Bake Off has trousers taken in, tops taken up and shoulders of jackets narrowed.

• Think second-hand – If you do get a craving, browse the rails of your local charity shop for pre-owned clothes. You’ll save some money too.

• Rather than replace, repair – don’t just chuck clothes away if the zip breaks or the hem comes loose, get them repaired.

If you’re keen to adopt the principles of ‘make do’ but don’t know how to ‘mend’, The Zip Yard’s stores across the UK can help.

Our experienced in-house seamstresses alter, repair, upcycle and refashion clothes to give them a new lease of life.

Together we can make a positive difference in reducing waste and carbon levels in the UK.

The answer to the question “what is there to lose?” is one we don’t ever want to hear.