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Wool market in Lixian County of Hebei Province. The consequences of industry transition have not always been predictable or orderly, with fragmented industry structures and rapidly changing economic fortunes of industry participants. Furthermore the transition to a market-oriented system has not always been a linear path to increased product quality or move to higher-value segments. Here a small dealer collects wool destined for one of the many scours in the Lixian area. The outside storage on dirt and rudimentary grading of the wool limits it to lower-value markets. Nonetheless, a large proportion of China’s coarse and semi-fine wool ends up at these markets and is a particularly vibrant part of the overall industry compared with some other higher-value segments that have faced stagnation and pressure to restructure.