diff --git a/datatype.go b/datatype.go
index 687d235..1bdba01 100644
--- a/datatype.go
+++ b/datatype.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const (
 	TypeString    DataType = iota
 	TypeDirectory DataType = iota
 	TypeBool      DataType = iota
+	TypeHex       DataType = iota
 )
 
 type cValue struct {
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ type cValue struct {
 	intval  int64
 	durval  time.Duration
 	boolval bool
+	binval  []byte
 	strval  string
 	err     error
 }
@@ -28,7 +30,10 @@ type cValue struct {
 func (dtype DataType) parse(key string, str string) (ret cValue) {
 	info, ok := tInfo[dtype]
 	if ok {
-		return info.parser(key, str)
+		ret = info.parser(key, str)
+		if len(ret.binval) == 0 {
+			ret.binval = make([]byte, 0, 0)
+		}
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/envconf.go b/envconf.go
index c5ef0a4..f61993d 100644
--- a/envconf.go
+++ b/envconf.go
@@ -314,21 +314,28 @@ func (c *Config) getRawMap(key string, dtype DataType) (empty map[string]cValue)
 	return
 }
 
-// GetInt returns the value of an environment variable.
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
 // If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeInt the function will return 0.
 func (c *Config) GetInt(key string) int64 {
 	val := c.getRaw(key, TypeInt)
 	return val.intval
 }
 
-// GetMetric returns the value of an environment variable.
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
+// If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeHex the function will return []byte{}.
+func (c *Config) GetHex(key string) []byte {
+	val := c.getRaw(key, TypeHex)
+	return val.binval
+}
+
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
 // If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeMetric the function will return 0.
 func (c *Config) GetMetric(key string) int64 {
 	val := c.getRaw(key, TypeMetric)
 	return val.intval
 }
 
-// GetDirectory returns the value of an environment variable.
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
 // If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeDirectory the
 // function will return the empty string.
 func (c *Config) GetDirectory(key string) string {
@@ -336,7 +343,7 @@ func (c *Config) GetDirectory(key string) string {
 	return val.strval
 }
 
-// GetString returns the value of an environment variable.
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
 // If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeString the
 // function will return the empty string.
 func (c *Config) GetString(key string) string {
@@ -344,7 +351,7 @@ func (c *Config) GetString(key string) string {
 	return val.strval
 }
 
-// GetDuration returns the value of an environment variable.
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
 // If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeDuration the
 // function will return time.Duration(0).
 func (c *Config) GetDuration(key string) time.Duration {
@@ -352,7 +359,7 @@ func (c *Config) GetDuration(key string) time.Duration {
 	return val.durval
 }
 
-// GetBool returns the value of an environment variable.
+// Returns the value of an environment variable.
 // If the variable is not defined as envconf.TypeBool the
 // function will return false.
 func (c *Config) GetBool(key string) bool {
@@ -392,6 +399,14 @@ func (c *Config) GetMapBool(key string) (retval map[string]bool) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (c *Config) GetMapHex(key string) (retval map[string][]byte) {
+	retval = make(map[string][]byte)
+	for k, v := range c.getRawMap(key, TypeHex) {
+		retval[k] = v.binval
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 func getFirstRune(str string) rune {
 	for _, v := range str {
 		return v
diff --git a/parsers.go b/parsers.go
index 5fcff78..e7f5cd8 100644
--- a/parsers.go
+++ b/parsers.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package envconf
 
 import (
+	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
@@ -65,6 +66,16 @@ func parseBool(key string, str string) (ret cValue) {
 	return
 }
 
+func parseHex(key string, str string) (ret cValue) {
+	val, err := hex.DecodeString(str)
+	if err == nil {
+		ret.binval = val
+	} else {
+		ret.err = errors.New(fmt.Sprintf(`Environment variable "%s" is not of type hex.`, key))
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 func parseDirectory(_ string, str string) (ret cValue) {
 	wd, err := os.Getwd()
 	if err == nil {
diff --git a/typeinfo.go b/typeinfo.go
index c321654..29383dc 100644
--- a/typeinfo.go
+++ b/typeinfo.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ func init() {
 	var durInfo dataTypeInfo
 	var strInfo dataTypeInfo
 	var dirInfo dataTypeInfo
+	var hexInfo dataTypeInfo
 	var boolInfo dataTypeInfo
 
 	intInfo.name = "int"
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ func init() {
 	durInfo.name = "duration"
 	dirInfo.name = "directory"
 	strInfo.name = "string"
+	hexInfo.name = "hex"
 	boolInfo.name = "bool"
 
 	intInfo.parser = parseInt
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ func init() {
 	durInfo.parser = parseDuration
 	dirInfo.parser = parseDirectory
 	strInfo.parser = parseString
+	hexInfo.parser = parseHex
 	boolInfo.parser = parseBool
 
 	tInfo[TypeInt] = intInfo
@@ -35,5 +38,6 @@ func init() {
 	tInfo[TypeDuration] = durInfo
 	tInfo[TypeString] = strInfo
 	tInfo[TypeDirectory] = dirInfo
+	tInfo[TypeHex] = hexInfo
 	tInfo[TypeBool] = boolInfo
 }