diff --git a/adapters/fields.py b/adapters/fields.py
index 727d40e..909a9da 100644
--- a/adapters/fields.py
+++ b/adapters/fields.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+from builtins import str
 import datetime
 import dateutil.parser
 from decimal import Decimal
+import six
 
 from .base import BaseField
 from .utils import EMPTY_VALUES, undefined
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ class DateField(BaseField):
     def prepare(self, data):
         if isinstance(data, datetime.date):
             return data
-        elif isinstance(data, str):
+        elif isinstance(data, six.string_types):
             return dateutil.parser.parse(data).date()
         else:
             raise ValueError("Invalid date argument")
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ class DateTimeField(BaseField):
     def prepare(self, data):
         if isinstance(data, datetime.datetime):
             return data
-        elif isinstance(data, str):
+        elif isinstance(data, six.string_types):
             return dateutil.parser.parse(data)
         else:
             raise ValueError("Invalid date argument")
@@ -94,7 +96,7 @@ class TimeField(BaseField):
     def prepare(self, data):
         if isinstance(data, datetime.time):
             return data
-        elif isinstance(data, str):
+        elif isinstance(data, six.string_types):
             return dateutil.parser.parse(data).timetz()
         else:
             raise ValueError("Invalid time argument")
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 668f62e..e133ac8 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+future
 python-dateutil==2.6.0
+six
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e4288d2..a8bbdb5 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -16,5 +16,9 @@
     url='https://github.com/alexei/python-adapters',
     download_url='https://github.com/alexei/python-adapters/archive/2.0.1.tar.gz',  # noqa
     keywords=['adapter pattern'],
-    install_requires=['python-dateutil>=2.6.0'],
+    install_requires=[
+        'future',
+        'python-dateutil>=2.6.0',
+        'six',
+    ],
 )
diff --git a/tests/test_fields.py b/tests/test_fields.py
index d94152a..47a9d83 100644
--- a/tests/test_fields.py
+++ b/tests/test_fields.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+from __future__ import unicode_literals
+
 import datetime
 from decimal import Decimal
 import unittest
@@ -16,6 +18,11 @@ def test_char_field(self):
         expected = 'Los Angeles'
         self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
 
+    def test_unicode_field(self):
+        actual = adapters.CharField().adapt('Alexandru Mărășteanu')
+        expected = 'Alexandru Mărășteanu'
+        self.assertEqual(actual, expected)
+
     def test_int_field(self):
         actual = adapters.IntField().adapt(123456)
         expected = 123456