<p>Metal parts using pressureless sintering are usually produced with powder metallurgy route. This technique has shown promising results, yet it is difficult and expensive to produce the parts in smaller quantities with this approach. Therefore, a more straightforward and affordable approach is required to eliminate the need for dies for metal part production. The current research work explores the feasibility of pressureless sintering of copper powder using 3D printed molds, nullifying the requirement for specialized dies. The molds are directly 3D printed as a mirror cavity of the required part shape using material extrusion (MEX) 3D printing or Additive Manufacturing (AM) technique from three clay materials viz. terracotta, porcelain and earthenware. Experiments have been conducted using a full factorial design with three input process parameters at three levels. Sintering temperature, sintering time and mold material are selected as three input process parameters to study their effects on the produced copper parts. Micro-hardness, wear properties and micro-structure characterization are studied as an output response and critically discussed. The outcomes of studies show that Industry 4.0-enabled 3D printed clay molds are not only technically feasible but also have the potential to make a substantial contribution to environmental sustainability. The study concludes with perspectives on the transformative possibilities of the proposed technique and the associated challenges.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>