diff --git a/dynomite-derive/src/lib.rs b/dynomite-derive/src/lib.rs
index e401add..3043ad1 100644
--- a/dynomite-derive/src/lib.rs
+++ b/dynomite-derive/src/lib.rs
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ use proc_macro2::Span;
 use proc_macro_error::{abort, ResultExt};
 use quote::{quote, ToTokens};
 use syn::{
-    parse::Parse, punctuated::Punctuated, Attribute, DataStruct, DeriveInput, Field, Fields, Ident,
-    Token, Visibility,
+    parse::Parse, punctuated::Punctuated, Attribute, DataStruct, DeriveInput, Field, Fields,
+    FieldsUnnamed, Ident, Token, Visibility,
 };
 
 struct Variant {
@@ -324,7 +324,8 @@ pub fn derive_attributes(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     expand_attributes(ast).unwrap_or_else(|e| e.to_compile_error().into())
 }
 
-/// Derives `dynomite::Attribute` for enum types
+/// Derives `dynomite::Attribute` for enum and single-field tuple struct (newtype) types that wrap
+/// other `dynomite::Attribute` types.
 ///
 /// # Panics
 ///
@@ -333,17 +334,33 @@ pub fn derive_attributes(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
 #[proc_macro_derive(Attribute)]
 pub fn derive_attribute(input: TokenStream) -> TokenStream {
     let ast = syn::parse_macro_input!(input);
-    let gen = expand_attribute(ast);
-    gen.into_token_stream().into()
+    expand_attribute(ast).unwrap_or_else(|e| e.to_compile_error().into())
 }
 
-fn expand_attribute(ast: DeriveInput) -> impl ToTokens {
+fn expand_attribute(ast: DeriveInput) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
     let name = &ast.ident;
+
     match ast.data {
-        syn::Data::Enum(variants) => {
-            make_dynomite_attr(name, &variants.variants.into_iter().collect::<Vec<_>>())
-        }
-        _ => panic!("Dynomite Attributes can only be generated for enum types"),
+        syn::Data::Enum(variants) => Ok(make_dynomite_attr_for_enum(
+            name,
+            &variants.variants.into_iter().collect::<Vec<_>>(),
+        )
+        .to_token_stream()
+        .into()),
+        syn::Data::Struct(DataStruct {
+            fields: Fields::Unnamed(FieldsUnnamed { unnamed, .. }),
+            ..
+        }) if unnamed.len() == 1 => Ok(make_dynomite_attr_for_newtype_struct(
+            name,
+            unnamed.first().expect("first field should exist"),
+        )
+        .to_token_stream()
+        .into()),
+        _ => Err(syn::Error::new(
+            ast.ident.span(),
+            "Dynomite Attributes can only be generated for enum and single-field tuple struct \
+             (newtype) types",
+        )),
     }
 }
 
@@ -367,7 +384,7 @@ fn expand_attribute(ast: DeriveInput) -> impl ToTokens {
 ///   }
 /// }
 /// ```
-fn make_dynomite_attr(
+fn make_dynomite_attr_for_enum(
     name: &Ident,
     variants: &[syn::Variant],
 ) -> impl ToTokens {
@@ -408,6 +425,37 @@ fn make_dynomite_attr(
     }
 }
 
+/// ```rust,ignore
+/// impl ::dynomite::Attribute for Name {
+///     fn into_attr(self) -> ::dynomite::dynamodb::AttributeValue {
+///         self.0.into_attr()
+///     }
+///     fn from_attr(
+///         value: ::dynomite::dynamodb::AttributeValue,
+///     ) -> ::std::result::Result<Self, ::dynomite::AttributeError> {
+///         FieldType::from_attr(value).map(Self)
+///     }
+/// }
+/// ```
+fn make_dynomite_attr_for_newtype_struct(
+    name: &Ident,
+    field: &Field,
+) -> impl ToTokens {
+    let ty = field.ty.to_token_stream();
+    quote! {
+        impl ::dynomite::Attribute for #name {
+            fn into_attr(self) -> ::dynomite::dynamodb::AttributeValue {
+                self.0.into_attr()
+            }
+            fn from_attr(
+                value: ::dynomite::dynamodb::AttributeValue,
+            ) -> ::std::result::Result<Self, ::dynomite::AttributeError> {
+                #ty::from_attr(value).map(Self)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn expand_attributes(ast: DeriveInput) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
     use syn::spanned::Spanned as _;
     let name = ast.ident;
diff --git a/dynomite/src/lib.rs b/dynomite/src/lib.rs
index 2ee2387..de1f222 100644
--- a/dynomite/src/lib.rs
+++ b/dynomite/src/lib.rs
@@ -277,6 +277,24 @@
 //!
 //! `role` field here may be any of `Admin`, `Moderator`, or `Regular` strings.
 //!
+//! #### Newtype Structs
+//!
+//! Types that implement the [dynomite::Attribute](trait.Attribute.html) trait can be wrapped in
+//! single-field tuple (newtype) structs. For example, a `String` newtype can be used as follows:
+//! ```rust
+//! use dynomite::{Attribute, Item};
+//!
+//! #[derive(Attribute)]
+//! struct Author(String);
+//!
+//! #[derive(Item)]
+//! struct Book {
+//!     #[dynomite(partition_key)]
+//!     id: String,
+//!     author: Author,
+//! }
+//! ```
+//!
 //! ## Rusoto extensions
 //!
 //! By importing the [dynomite::DynamoDbExt](trait.DynamoDbExt.html) trait, dynomite
diff --git a/dynomite/tests/derived.rs b/dynomite/tests/derived.rs
index b1a1300..cd6024f 100644
--- a/dynomite/tests/derived.rs
+++ b/dynomite/tests/derived.rs
@@ -1,15 +1,21 @@
 use dynomite::{Attribute, Attributes, Item};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
+#[derive(Attribute, Default, PartialEq, Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct AuthorName(String);
+
 #[derive(Item, Default, PartialEq, Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Author {
     #[dynomite(partition_key)]
     // Test that the serde attr is not propagated to the generated key
     // Issue: https://github.com/softprops/dynomite/issues/121
     #[serde(rename = "Name")]
-    name: String,
+    name: AuthorName,
 }
 
+#[derive(Attribute, Default, PartialEq, Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct NewAuthor(Author);
+
 #[derive(Attribute, PartialEq, Debug, Clone)]
 pub enum Category {
     Foo,