diff --git a/datamatrix/datamatrix_test.go b/datamatrix/datamatrix_test.go
index 837e630..d418175 100644
--- a/datamatrix/datamatrix_test.go
+++ b/datamatrix/datamatrix_test.go
@@ -100,3 +100,33 @@ func Test_Issue12(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func Test_GS1DataMatrix(t *testing.T) {
+	// Example 2 from the GS1 DataMatrix Guideline.
+	//
+	// (01)09501101020917(17)190508(10)ABCD1234(21)10
+	//
+	// See: https://www.gs1.org/standards/gs1-datamatrix-guideline/25#2-Encoding-data+2-3-Human-readable-interpretation-(HRI)
+	data := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	data.WriteByte(FNC1)                 // Start Character
+	data.WriteString("0109501101020917") // AI (01)
+	data.WriteString("17190508")         // AI (17)
+	data.WriteString("10ABCD1234")       // AI (10) does not have pre-defined length
+	data.WriteByte(FNC1)                 // Separator Character
+	data.WriteString("2110")             // AI (20)
+
+	// Codewords from decoding example 2 with "dmtxread -c".
+	wantedData := []byte{
+		FNC1, // FNC1
+		131, 139, 180, 141, 131, 132, 139, 147,
+		147, 149, 135, 138,
+		140, 66, 67, 68, 69, 142, 164,
+		232, // FNC1
+		151, 140,
+	}
+
+	realData := encodeText(data.String())
+	if bytes.Compare(realData, wantedData) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("GS1 DataMatrix encoding failed\nwant: %v\ngot:  %v\n", wantedData, realData)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/datamatrix/encoder.go b/datamatrix/encoder.go
index 9501bee..5c03e28 100644
--- a/datamatrix/encoder.go
+++ b/datamatrix/encoder.go
@@ -7,6 +7,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/boombuler/barcode"
 )
 
+// FNC1 is the codeword for the Function 1 Symbol Character to
+// differentiate a GS1 DataMatrix from other Data Matrix symbols.
+//
+// It is used as both a start character and a separator of GS1 element
+// strings.
+const FNC1 byte = 232
+
 // Encode returns a Datamatrix barcode for the given content and color scheme
 func EncodeWithColor(content string, color barcode.ColorScheme) (barcode.Barcode, error) {
 	data := encodeText(content)
@@ -48,6 +55,8 @@ func encodeText(content string) []byte {
 	var result []byte
 	input := []byte(content)
 
+	isGS1 := len(input) > 0 && input[0] == FNC1
+
 	for i := 0; i < len(input); {
 		c := input[i]
 		i++
@@ -58,6 +67,8 @@ func encodeText(content string) []byte {
 			i++
 			cw := byte(((c-'0')*10 + (c2 - '0')) + 130)
 			result = append(result, cw)
+		} else if isGS1 && c == FNC1 {
+			result = append(result, c)
 		} else if c > 127 {
 			// not correct... needs to be redone later...
 			result = append(result, 235, c-127)