diff --git a/Data/ByteString/Plain.hs b/Data/ByteString/Plain.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Data/ByteString/Plain.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,162 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE MagicHash, DeriveDataTypeable #-}
+
+-- |
+-- Stability   : experimental
+-- Portability : GHC
+--
+-- This module is intended to be imported @qualified@ in order to
+-- avoid name clashes with the "Prelude", "Data.ByteString", and
+-- "Data.ByteString.Lazy" modules. E.g.:
+--
+-- > import qualified Data.ByteString.Plain as PB
+--
+module Data.ByteString.Plain (
+    -- * The plain @ByteString@ type and representation
+      ByteString
+    -- * Introducing and eliminating 'ByteString's
+    , empty
+    , fromStrict
+    , toStrict
+    -- * Basic operations
+    , null
+    , length
+    ) where
+
+import           Control.DeepSeq (NFData)
+import qualified Data.ByteString as B
+import qualified Data.ByteString.Internal as B
+import           Data.Hashable (Hashable(hashWithSalt))
+import           Data.Typeable            (Typeable)
+import           GHC.ForeignPtr
+import           GHC.Prim
+import           GHC.Types
+import           Prelude hiding (length, null)
+import           System.IO.Unsafe (unsafePerformIO)
+
+-- |Compact heap representation a (strict) 'B.ByteString' can be (un)wrapped to/from.
+--
+-- This data type depends on the ordinary 'B.ByteString' type to be
+-- useful but comes with a different cost-model.
+--
+-- This representation avoids the 'ForeignPtr' indirection, and the
+-- offset/length slice representation for shared 'B.ByteString's, and
+-- is therefore suitable if you need to store many small strings in a
+-- data records or for use as keys in container types. On the other
+-- hand, string operations on 'ByteString' would require
+-- re-allocations, and thus are not supported. If you need to perform
+-- such operations convert and operate on conventional 'B.ByteString's
+-- instead.
+--
+-- This structure supports @UNPACK@, and then has an overhead
+-- of only 3 words (beyond the word-padded storage of the byte-string
+-- payload), as it's basically just a pointer to a
+-- 'MutableByteArray#':
+--
+-- > data ByteString = PBS !(MutableByteArray# RealWorld)
+--
+-- In contrast, a single non-shared unpacked ('PlainPtr'-backed)
+-- 'ByteString' field exhibits an overhead of 8 words:
+--
+-- > data ByteString = PS {-# UNPACK #-} !(ForeignPtr Word8) -- payload (2 words)
+-- >                      {-# UNPACK #-} !Int                -- offset (1 word)
+-- >                      {-# UNPACK #-} !Int                -- length (1 word)
+-- >
+-- > data ForeignPtr a = ForeignPtr Addr# ForeignPtrContents -- 2 words w/o info-ptr
+-- >
+-- > data ForeignPtrContents -- 1 word needed for info-ptr
+-- >     = PlainForeignPtr {...}
+-- >     | MallocPtr {...}
+-- >     | PlainPtr (MutableByteArray# RealWorld)  -- common case (1 word)
+-- >
+-- > data MutableByteArray# s -- 2 words + payload
+--
+-- As an optimization, all zero-length strings are mapped to the
+-- singleton 'empty' value.
+data ByteString = PBS !(MutableByteArray# RealWorld)
+                  deriving Typeable
+
+-- |Singleton value the 'B.empty' 'B.ByteString' is mapped to/from.
+empty :: ByteString
+empty = unsafePerformIO $ do
+    (ForeignPtr _ (PlainPtr mbarr#)) <- mallocPlainForeignPtrBytes 0
+    return $! PBS mbarr#
+{-# NOINLINE empty #-}
+
+-- |Extract 'ByteString' from 'ByteString'
+--
+-- If possible, the internally used 'MutableByteArray#' is shared with
+-- the original 'ByteString' in which case the conversion is cheap.
+--
+-- However, if necessary, a trimmed copy of the original 'ByteString'
+-- will be created via 'B.copy' resulting in a newly allocated
+-- 'MutableByteArray#'.
+--
+-- N.B.: Because strict 'B.ByteString's use pinned memory internally
+-- also plain 'ByteString's use pinned memory and thereby increase the
+-- potential for memory fragmentation as the garbage collector is not
+-- allowed to move pinned memory areas.
+--
+-- Depending on the use case, it might be beneficial to apply some
+-- form of memoizing to the 'fromStrict' conversion (also known as
+-- <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hash_consing Hash consing> or
+-- <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/String_interning String interning>).
+
+fromStrict :: B.ByteString -> ByteString
+fromStrict (B.PS _ _ 0) = empty
+fromStrict (B.PS (ForeignPtr addr (PlainPtr mbarr#)) 0 l)
+  | neAddr# addr' addr = error "internal error" -- sanity check
+  | l' == l            = PBS mbarr#
+  where
+    l' = I# (sizeofMutableByteArray# mbarr#)
+    addr' = byteArrayContents# (unsafeCoerce# mbarr#)
+fromStrict bs = fromStrict (B.copy bs) -- this assumes
+                    -- ByteString internals return a trimmed
+                    -- ForeignPtr/PlainPtr string; otherwise there's
+                    -- risk of infinite looping
+{-# INLINE fromStrict #-}
+
+-- |Convert a plain 'ByteString' back into a 'ByteString'.
+--
+-- This effectively wraps the plain 'ByteString' into a 'ForeignPtr'
+-- and a plain 'B.ByteString' type.
+toStrict :: ByteString -> B.ByteString
+toStrict (PBS mbarr#) | l == 0     = B.empty
+                      | otherwise  = B.PS fp 0 l
+  where
+    l  = I# (sizeofMutableByteArray# mbarr#)
+    addr = byteArrayContents# (unsafeCoerce# mbarr#)
+    fp = ForeignPtr addr (PlainPtr mbarr#)
+{-# INLINE toStrict #-}
+
+null :: ByteString -> Bool
+null = (==0) . length
+{-# INLINE null #-}
+
+length :: ByteString -> Int
+length (PBS mbarr#) = I# (sizeofMutableByteArray# mbarr#)
+{-# INLINE length #-}
+
+-- WHNF == NF
+instance NFData ByteString
+
+-- the following instances are implement via strict 'B.ByteString's;
+-- In the future "native" implementations shall be provided if they
+-- result being faster.
+instance Eq ByteString where
+    x == y  = toStrict x == toStrict y
+    {-# INLINE (==) #-}
+
+instance Ord ByteString where
+    compare x y  = compare (toStrict x) (toStrict y)
+    {-# INLINE compare #-}
+
+instance Hashable ByteString where
+    hashWithSalt salt = hashWithSalt salt . toStrict
+    {-# INLINE hashWithSalt #-}
+
+-- Mostly for convenience
+instance Show ByteString where
+    showsPrec p rbs = showsPrec p (toStrict rbs)
+
+instance Read ByteString where
+    readsPrec p str = [ (fromStrict x, y) | (x, y) <- readsPrec p str ]
diff --git a/LICENSE b/LICENSE
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+Copyright (c) 2013, Herbert Valerio Riedel
+
+All rights reserved.
+
+Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
+
+    * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+      notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+
+    * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+      copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following
+      disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided
+      with the distribution.
+
+    * Neither the name of Herbert Valerio Riedel nor the names of other
+      contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived
+      from this software without specific prior written permission.
+
+THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
diff --git a/Setup.hs b/Setup.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Setup.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+import Distribution.Simple
+main = defaultMain
diff --git a/bytestring-plain.cabal b/bytestring-plain.cabal
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bytestring-plain.cabal
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+name:                bytestring-plain
+version:             0.1.0.0
+synopsis:            Plain byte strings ('ForeignPtr'-less 'ByteString's)
+homepage:            https://github.com/hvr/bytestring-plain
+bug-reports:         https://github.com/hvr/bytestring-plain/issues
+license:             BSD3
+license-file:        LICENSE
+author:              Herbert Valerio Riedel
+maintainer:          hvr@gnu.org
+copyright:           (c) 2013 Herbert Valerio Riedel
+category:            Data
+build-type:          Simple
+tested-with:         GHC ==7.6.3
+cabal-version:       >=1.14
+description:
+  More compact representation for strict 'ByteString's avoiding the
+  overhead and indirection caused by 'ForeignPtr'.
+  .
+  This representation is useful to reduce the incurred memory overhead
+  when operating with many small, long-lived, distinct byte strings
+  (such as keys for containers).
+  .
+  See documentation in "Data.ByteString.Plain" for more details about
+  this representation.
+
+library
+  default-language:    Haskell2010
+  exposed-modules:     Data.ByteString.Plain
+  other-extensions:    MagicHash
+  build-depends:       base       >= 4.6   && <4.7,
+                       bytestring >= 0.10  && <0.11,
+                       ghc-prim   >= 0.3   && <0.4,
+                       deepseq    >= 1.2   && <1.4,
+                       hashable   >= 1.1.1 && <1.3
+  ghc-options:         -Wall
+
+Source-Repository head
+  Type: git
+  Location: https://github.com/hvr/bytestring-plain.git
