Ergonomic protective air filtration devices and methods for manufacturing the same

Ergonomic protective air filtration devices and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed herein. An ergonomic protective air filtration device (10) includes a stack of at least two layers (14) of an air permeable material, the stack forming a body (16), a periphery (20), and a back (18); a plurality of intersecting three-dimensional V-shaped pleats (22) extending from the periphery (20) and into the stack of layers (14), so the back (18) of the device (10) defines a breathing chamber (17) adapted to cover a mouth and a nose of the wearer; and a retaining means (24) engaging the body (16) of the device (10) to secure the device (10) to a face of the wearer and to create the breathing chamber (17). The ergonomic protective air filtration device (10) provides protection against contaminated droplets, fluid splashes, solid particulates, pathogenic microorganisms, or aerosoled air pollutions.