diff --git a/lib/sassc.rb b/lib/sassc.rb
index 6d5bd74b..c3143020 100644
--- a/lib/sassc.rb
+++ b/lib/sassc.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,30 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 module SassC
+  # The global load paths for Sass files. This is meant for plugins and
+  # libraries to register the paths to their Sass stylesheets to that they may
+  # be `@imported`. This load path is used by every instance of {Sass::Engine}.
+  # They are lower-precedence than any load paths passed in via the
+  # {file:SASS_REFERENCE.md#load_paths-option `:load_paths` option}.
+  #
+  # If the `SASS_PATH` environment variable is set,
+  # the initial value of `load_paths` will be initialized based on that.
+  # The variable should be a colon-separated list of path names
+  # (semicolon-separated on Windows).
+  #
+  # Note that files on the global load path are never compiled to CSS
+  # themselves, even if they aren't partials. They exist only to be imported.
+  #
+  # @example
+  #   SassC.load_paths << File.dirname(__FILE__ + '/sass')
+  # @return [Array<String, Pathname, Sass::Importers::Base>]
+  def self.load_paths
+    @load_paths ||= if ENV['SASS_PATH']
+                      ENV['SASS_PATH'].split(SassC::Util.windows? ? ';' : ':')
+                    else
+                      []
+                    end
+  end
 end
 
 require_relative "sassc/version"
diff --git a/lib/sassc/engine.rb b/lib/sassc/engine.rb
index ea01477e..150ce022 100644
--- a/lib/sassc/engine.rb
+++ b/lib/sassc/engine.rb
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ def output_style
     end
 
     def load_paths
-      paths = @options[:load_paths]
-      paths.join(":") if paths
+      paths = (@options[:load_paths] || []) + SassC.load_paths
+      paths.join(":") if paths.any?
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/engine_test.rb b/test/engine_test.rb
index 33a1f26f..6169e5cf 100644
--- a/test/engine_test.rb
+++ b/test/engine_test.rb
@@ -198,6 +198,31 @@ def test_load_paths
       ).render
     end
 
+    def test_global_load_paths
+      temp_dir("included_1")
+      temp_dir("included_2")
+
+      temp_file("included_1/import_parent.scss", "$s: 30px;")
+      temp_file("included_2/import.scss", "@import 'import_parent'; $size: $s;")
+      temp_file("styles.scss", "@import 'import.scss'; .hi { width: $size; }")
+
+      ::SassC.load_paths << "included_1"
+      ::SassC.load_paths << "included_2"
+
+      assert_equal ".hi {\n  width: 30px; }\n", Engine.new(
+        File.read("styles.scss"),
+      ).render
+      ::SassC.load_paths.clear
+    end
+
+    def test_env_load_paths
+      expected_load_paths = [ "included_1", "included_2" ]
+      ::SassC.instance_eval { @load_paths = nil }
+      ENV['SASS_PATH'] = expected_load_paths.join(':')
+      assert_equal expected_load_paths, ::SassC.load_paths
+      ::SassC.load_paths.clear
+    end
+
     def test_load_paths_not_configured
       temp_file("included_1/import_parent.scss", "$s: 30px;")
       temp_file("included_2/import.scss", "@import 'import_parent'; $size: $s;")