diff --git a/src/bitpack.cc b/src/bitpack.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8e05e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bitpack.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+#include "bitpack.hh"
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <cmath>
+
+using std::uint16_t;
+using std::vector;
+using uchar = unsigned char;
+using vuint16 = vector<uint16_t>;
+using vuchar = vector<uchar>;
+
+constexpr int ipow(int base, int exp) {
+  int result = 1;
+  for (;;) {
+    if (exp & 1) {
+      result *= base;
+    }
+    exp >>= 1;
+    if (exp == 0) {
+      break;
+    }
+    base *= base;
+  }
+  return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ *  Packs \p t_input into unsigned char, assuming  the max value of t_input only
+ *  takes \p t_n bits
+ *
+ *  \param t_input_begin pointer to the beginning of the vector of values to be
+ * packed \param t_input_end pointer to the end of the input vector \param t_n
+ * maximum size of an input value in bits \return Returns a vector of unsigned
+ * char containing the packed values from t_input
+ */
+vuchar pack_n(const vuint16::const_iterator t_input_begin,
+              const vuint16::const_iterator t_input_end, int t_n) {
+  if (t_n == 16) {
+    return pack_16(t_input_begin, t_input_end);
+  }
+  vuchar ret{};
+
+  // max value with current number of bits + 1
+  const int max_value = ipow(2, t_n);
+
+  uchar current_char = 0;
+  int step = t_n / 8;
+  int left_shift = 0;
+  int middle_shift = 0;
+  int right_shift = 0;
+
+  for (auto it = t_input_begin; it != t_input_end; ++it) {
+    if (*t_input_end >= max_value) {
+      ret.push_back(current_char);
+      const auto next_vec = pack_n(it, t_input_end, t_n + 1);
+      ret.insert(ret.end(), next_vec.begin(), next_vec.end());
+      return ret;
+    }
+    left_shift += step;
+    if (left_shift >= t_n) {
+      left_shift = (left_shift - t_n) + step;
+    }
+    ret.push_back((current_char | (*it >> left_shift)) & 0xFF);
+    current_char = 0;
+
+    bool zero_right_shift = (right_shift == 0);
+    right_shift -= step;
+    if (right_shift < 0) {
+      middle_shift = std::abs(right_shift);
+      right_shift = 8 + std::abs(right_shift);
+      if (!zero_right_shift) {
+        ret.push_back((*it >> middle_shift) & 0xFF);
+      }
+    }
+    if (right_shift == 0) {
+      ret.push_back(*it & 0xff);
+      current_char = 0;
+    } else {
+      current_char = (*it << right_shift) & 0xFF;
+    }
+  }
+  if (current_char != 0) {
+    ret.push_back(current_char);
+  }
+  return ret;
+}
+
+vuchar pack_16(const vuint16::const_iterator t_input_begin,
+               const vuint16::const_iterator t_input_end) {
+  vuchar ret{};
+  std::for_each(t_input_begin, t_input_end, [&](const auto value) {
+    ret.push_back((value >> 8) & 0xFF);
+    ret.push_back(value & 0xFF);
+  });
+  return ret;
+}
+
+vuchar pack(const vuint16 t_input) {
+  vuchar ret{};
+  constexpr int max_value = ipow(2, 8);
+  for(auto it = t_input.begin(); it != t_input.end(); ++it) {
+    if(*it >= max_value) {
+      const auto next_vec =
+          pack_n(static_cast<vuint16::const_iterator>(it), t_input.end(), 9);
+      ret.insert(ret.end(), next_vec.begin(), next_vec.end());
+      return ret;
+    }
+    ret.push_back(static_cast<unsigned char>(*it));
+  }
+  return ret;
+}
diff --git a/src/bitpack.hh b/src/bitpack.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..671ddfc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bitpack.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+/**
+ *   \file bitpack.hh
+ *   \brief Header for bit-packing functions
+ */
+
+#ifndef LZW_SRC_BITPACK_H_
+#define LZW_SRC_BITPACK_H_
+
+#include <cstdint>
+#include <vector>
+
+/// \brief Packs std::uint16_t of n bits into unsigned char
+std::vector<unsigned char> pack_n(const std::vector<std::uint16_t>::const_iterator,
+                                  const std::vector<std::uint16_t>::const_iterator,
+                                  int);
+
+/// \brief Specialization of \ref pack_n for 16bits
+std::vector<unsigned char> pack_16(const std::vector<std::uint16_t>::const_iterator,
+                                   const std::vector<std::uint16_t>::const_iterator);
+
+#endif /* LZW_SRC_BITPACK_H_ */