This research investigates the sustainability of 3D printing within the fashion industry, with focus on waste generation, recycling, and upcycling practices. While 3D printing is often promoted as an environmentally responsible technology because of its additive manufacturing (AM) process and potential for on-demand production, it still produces significant amounts of waste, including flushed filaments, rafts, support structures, and failed prints. The study aims to evaluate current waste management approaches and investigate for creative strategies to improving material capability and circularity in 3D printed fashion. A qualitative research approach was adopted, supported by limited descriptive quantitative data. The research employed a triangulated design consisting of a survey, case studies, and research through practice. The survey and case studies provided insights into current recycling practices and material use within 3D printing in fashion. The practice section focused on upcycling as an alternative waste management strategy, using collected 3D printed waste to design and construct four bags that tested the feasibility of reusing waste materials directly in fashion pieces. The findings displayed that recycling remains the major waste management technique but is constrained by material degradation, energy requirements, and limited accessibility to recycling infrastructure. Upcycling, although rarely implemented in the industry, emerged as a possible matching approach that preserves material integrity. The creative experiments demonstrated that certain waste types, particularly flushed filaments and rafts, possess potential for reuse when processed effectively. The study concludes that advancing sustainability in 3D printed fashion requires an integrated strategy combining technological optimisation and creative reuse. By identifying key waste categories, analysing existing recycling limitations, and demonstrating the potential of upcycling through practice, this research contributes to both academic and practical understandings of how 3D printing waste can be reimagined as a resource rather than a by-product.