diff --git a/packages/utils/src/abi_encoder/evm_data_types/string.ts b/packages/utils/src/abi_encoder/evm_data_types/string.ts
index f54d739b45..0c3cedae20 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/abi_encoder/evm_data_types/string.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/abi_encoder/evm_data_types/string.ts
@@ -26,14 +26,15 @@ export class StringDataType extends AbstractBlobDataType {
     /* tslint:disable prefer-function-over-method */
     public encodeValue(value: string): Buffer {
         // Encoded value is of the form: <length><value>, with each field padded to be word-aligned.
-        // 1/3 Construct the length
-        const wordsToStoreValuePadded = Math.ceil(value.length / constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES);
-        const bytesToStoreValuePadded = wordsToStoreValuePadded * constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES;
-        const lengthBuf = ethUtil.toBuffer(value.length);
-        const lengthBufPadded = ethUtil.setLengthLeft(lengthBuf, constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES);
-        // 2/3 Construct the value
+        // 1/3 Construct the value
         const valueBuf = new Buffer(value);
+        const valueLengthInBytes = valueBuf.byteLength;
+        const wordsToStoreValuePadded = Math.ceil(valueLengthInBytes / constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES);
+        const bytesToStoreValuePadded = wordsToStoreValuePadded * constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES;
         const valueBufPadded = ethUtil.setLengthRight(valueBuf, bytesToStoreValuePadded);
+        // 2/3 Construct the length
+        const lengthBuf = ethUtil.toBuffer(valueLengthInBytes);
+        const lengthBufPadded = ethUtil.setLengthLeft(lengthBuf, constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES);
         // 3/3 Combine length and value
         const encodedValue = Buffer.concat([lengthBufPadded, valueBufPadded]);
         return encodedValue;
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ export class StringDataType extends AbstractBlobDataType {
         const wordsToStoreValuePadded = Math.ceil(length / constants.EVM_WORD_WIDTH_IN_BYTES);
         const valueBufPadded = calldata.popWords(wordsToStoreValuePadded);
         const valueBuf = valueBufPadded.slice(0, length);
-        const value = valueBuf.toString('ascii');
+        const value = valueBuf.toString('UTF-8');
         return value;
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/utils/test/abi_encoder/evm_data_types_test.ts b/packages/utils/test/abi_encoder/evm_data_types_test.ts
index c802902072..3d034ad014 100644
--- a/packages/utils/test/abi_encoder/evm_data_types_test.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/test/abi_encoder/evm_data_types_test.ts
@@ -1322,6 +1322,44 @@ describe('ABI Encoder: EVM Data Type Encoding/Decoding', () => {
             const argsEncodedFromSignature = dataTypeFromSignature.encode(args);
             expect(argsEncodedFromSignature).to.be.deep.equal(expectedEncodedArgs);
         });
+        it('String that has a multibyte UTF-8 character', async () => {
+            // Create DataType object
+            const testDataItem = { name: 'String', type: 'string' };
+            const dataType = new AbiEncoder.String(testDataItem);
+            // Construct args to be encoded
+            const args = "👴🏼";
+            // Encode Args and validate result
+            const encodedArgs = dataType.encode(args, encodingRules);
+            const expectedEncodedArgs =
+                '0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000008f09f91b4f09f8fbc000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+            expect(encodedArgs).to.be.equal(expectedEncodedArgs);
+            // Decode Encoded Args and validate result
+            const decodedArgs = dataType.decode(encodedArgs);
+            expect(decodedArgs).to.be.deep.equal(args);
+            // Validate signature
+            const dataTypeFromSignature = AbiEncoder.create(dataType.getSignature(true));
+            const argsEncodedFromSignature = dataTypeFromSignature.encode(args);
+            expect(argsEncodedFromSignature).to.be.deep.equal(expectedEncodedArgs);
+        });
+        it('String that combines single and multibyte UTF-8 characters', async () => {
+            // Create DataType object
+            const testDataItem = { name: 'String', type: 'string' };
+            const dataType = new AbiEncoder.String(testDataItem);
+            // Construct args to be encoded
+            const args = "Hello 😀👴🏼😁😂😃 world!";
+            // Encode Args and validate result
+            const encodedArgs = dataType.encode(args, encodingRules);
+            const expectedEncodedArgs =
+                '0x000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000002548656c6c6f20f09f9880f09f91b4f09f8fbcf09f9881f09f9882f09f988320776f726c6421000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000';
+            expect(encodedArgs).to.be.equal(expectedEncodedArgs);
+            // Decode Encoded Args and validate result
+            const decodedArgs = dataType.decode(encodedArgs);
+            expect(decodedArgs).to.be.deep.equal(args);
+            // Validate signature
+            const dataTypeFromSignature = AbiEncoder.create(dataType.getSignature(true));
+            const argsEncodedFromSignature = dataTypeFromSignature.encode(args);
+            expect(argsEncodedFromSignature).to.be.deep.equal(expectedEncodedArgs);
+        });
         it('Should decode NULL to empty string', async () => {
             // Create DataType object
             const testDataItem = { name: 'String', type: 'string' };