A filter comprising: a first flow face extending along a lateral direction and a transverse direction of the filter, wherein the first flow face comprises at least one contaminant retention layer first edge and at least one flow defining layer first edge; a second flow face spaced in an axial direction from the first flow face, wherein the second flow face extends along a length and a width of the filter and comprises at least one contaminant retention layer second edge and at least one flow defining layer second edge; at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) extending from the contaminant retention layer first edge to the contaminant retention layer second edge; and at least one flow defining layer (12; 122) adjacent to at least one of the contaminant retention layers (14; 124), the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122) extending from the flow defining layer first edge to the flow defining layer second edge; a first filtration zone comprising a first portion of the at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) and a first portion of the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122), wherein the first filtration zone comprises a first permeability; and characterized by the fact that the filter further comprises: a second filtration zone adjacent to the first filtration zone, the second filtration zone comprising a second portion of the at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) and a second portion of the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122), wherein the second filtration zone comprises a second permeability that is different from the first permeability of the first zone; wherein at least one of the flow defining layers (12; 122) defines at least one fluid flow path in the axial direction as fluid moves through the first filtration zone and the second filtration zone, wherein at least one contaminant retention layer and at least one flow defining layer are arranged as a stack of layers, wherein a permeability is constant across a width of the stack, but increases or decreases when moving from flow face to flow face of the stack. a first flow face extending along a lateral direction and a transverse direction of the filter, wherein the first flow face comprises at least one contaminant retention layer first edge and at least one flow defining layer first edge; a second flow face spaced in an axial direction from the first flow face, wherein the second flow face extends along a length and a width of the filter and comprises at least one contaminant retention layer second edge and at least one flow defining layer second edge; at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) extending from the contaminant retention layer first edge to the contaminant retention layer second edge; and at least one flow defining layer (12; 122) adjacent to at least one of the contaminant retention layers (14; 124), the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122) extending from the flow defining layer first edge to the flow defining layer second edge; a first filtration zone comprising a first portion of the at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) and a first portion of the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122), wherein the first filtration zone comprises a first permeability; and characterized by the fact that the filter further comprises: a second filtration zone adjacent to the first filtration zone, the second filtration zone comprising a second portion of the at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) and a second portion of the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122), wherein the second filtration zone comprises a second permeability that is different from the first permeability of the first zone; wherein at least one of the flow defining layers (12; 122) defines at least one fluid flow path in the axial direction as fluid moves through the first filtration zone and the second filtration zone, wherein at least one contaminant retention layer and at least one flow defining layer are arranged as a stack of layers, wherein a permeability is constant across a width of the stack, but increases or decreases when moving from flow face to flow face of the stack. a second filtration zone adjacent to the first filtration zone, the second filtration zone comprising a second portion of the at least one contaminant retention layer (14; 124) and a second portion of the at least one flow defining layer (12; 122), wherein the second filtration zone comprises a second permeability that is different from the first permeability of the first zone; wherein at least one of the flow defining layers (12; 122) defines at least one fluid flow path in the axial direction as fluid moves through the first filtration zone and the second filtration zone, wherein at least one contaminant retention layer and at least one flow defining layer are arranged as a stack of layers, wherein a permeability is constant across a width of the stack, but increases or decreases when moving from flow face to flow face of the stack.