New advanced manufacturing techniques, widely known as 3D printing, are appearing as alternatives to conventional manufacturing methods by offering the possibility of highly complex shapes for a minimal time and use of material, significantly improving customisation and efficiency. Therefore, technologies such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM) are being pointed out as a manufacturing alternative to achieve the sustainable development of the industrial landscape since it is a technology with less energy and material consumption and is capable of reducing the supply chain by cutting off the logistic complexity and indirect energy “movements” and allows the improvement of machinery performance, through the use of complex alternative designs, impossible to obtain by any other methods. This work represents a comprehensive overview of the impact of SLM on the sustainable development of the industry, the main ongoing challenges, and how these new advanced technologies can help reach the proposed global goals for a better world by 2030.