Reducing defects and waste in manufacturing systems and processes leads to increased quality and sustainability standards. Low-quality production not only undermines economic viability but also exacerbates environmental degradation due to the overuse of resources, materials, and energy and higher waste generation, as indicated by lean philosophy. Defect prediction, a recent and promising practice within the Zero-Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) paradigm, enables the early management of product non-conformities. The comprehensive understanding of the root causes of defects and the development of sustainable long-term strategies to promptly intercept them are fundamental to the sustainability of manufacturing systems from a Triple Bottom Line (TBL) perspective. This review paper aims to explore existing knowledge on predicting and preventing defects in manufacturing systems and processes in various industrial sectors, with a specific focus on strategies that foster quality improvement and environmental sustainability. Insights gleaned from previous research allow for identifying pathways for integrating sustainability principles into defect prediction and prevention strategies, thereby aligning manufacturing practices to sustainability objectives.