diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4248235..9573886 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ ExampleElement.observedAttributes; // readonly ('user-id' | 'min' | 'is-ready' |
 - **Props** are stored as values and reflected to attributes; attribute changes decode back. `onPropChange` fires once per real change from either side.
 - **Attribute names**: an explicit `attribute` is used verbatim; otherwise `kebab(key)`, with `disable-` for `disable()` and `data-` in front when `dataPrefix: true`.
 - **Codecs**: `string`, `number`, `enable`, `disable`, `choice([...])`, `json<T>()`, `prop({ default, decode, encode })`.
-- **Shadow DOM**: `shadow` attaches a root and clones `template` into it; `css` is a shared adopted stylesheet. An existing declarative shadow root is used instead (and `shadow`/`template` are ignored). `root` is the shadow root (even when closed) or the element itself.
-- **Light DOM**: `template` is appended on first connect; `css` is added once per element type, as a `<style>` in `<head>` or adopted into the enclosing shadow root.
+- **Shadow DOM**: `shadow` attaches a root and clones `template` into it; `css` (a string or a `CSSStyleSheet`, e.g. `import sheet from './x.css' with { type: 'css' }`) is a shared adopted stylesheet. An existing declarative shadow root is used instead (and `shadow`/`template` are ignored). `root` is the shadow root (even when closed) or the element itself.
+- **Light DOM**: `template` is appended on first connect; `css` is added once per element type: adopted into the enclosing shadow root, or at the document level a string becomes a `<style>` in `<head>` and a `CSSStyleSheet` is adopted into `document.adoptedStyleSheets`.
 - **Refs**: a selector string is typed from its tag (last compound: `'form > button#go'` → `HTMLButtonElement`), falling back to `Element`. `[selector, Class]` types the ref as `Class`; reading it throws a `TypeError` if a match isn't an instance of `Class`. A key can't be in both `element` and `elements`.
 - **`signal`** aborts on disconnect; a new one is created on each connect. `events` are listened on the host with it.
 - **Events**: `events` maps a name to `true`, listener options, `listen<E>(options?)` for an explicit event type, or `custom<T>(options?)` for a `CustomEvent<T>` (the same as `listen<CustomEvent<T>>()`): `{ click: true, scroll: { passive: true }, 'wc:key': listen<KeyboardEvent>(), 'wc:pick': custom<number>() }`. Other names are typed from `HTMLElementEventMap` (`click` → `PointerEvent`), else `Event`. `handleEvent` receives `HandledEvent<typeof SPEC>`, a union whose `type` is literal, so `if (event.type === 'wc:pick') event.detail` narrows. A host listener can't see into a closed shadow root, so `composedPath()` stops at the host there.
@@ -53,4 +53,4 @@ ExampleElement.observedAttributes; // readonly ('user-id' | 'min' | 'is-ready' |
 
 ## Scripts
 
-`npm run lint` (oxlint, type-aware), `npm run format` / `format:check` (oxfmt), `npm run typecheck`, `npm test` (Vitest in headless Chromium + type tests), `npm run build`.
+`npm run lint` (oxlint, type-aware), `npm run format` / `format:check` (oxfmt), `npm run typecheck`, `npm test` (Vitest in headless Chromium + type tests), `npm run build`, `npm run examples` (Vite dev server for `examples/`; `vite.config.ts` builds `with { type: 'css' }` / `with { type: 'text' }` imports for browsers without import-attribute support).
diff --git a/examples/color-swatch-picker.css b/examples/color-swatch-picker.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e258ee1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/color-swatch-picker.css
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+color-swatch-picker { display: block; font: 0.9rem/1.3 system-ui, sans-serif; }
+color-swatch-picker fieldset { border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
+color-swatch-picker legend { font-weight: 600; padding: 0; margin-bottom: 0.35rem; }
+color-swatch-picker .swatches { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 0.5rem; }
+color-swatch-picker .swatch {
+  position: relative;
+  display: grid;
+  place-items: end center;
+  width: 5.5rem;
+  height: 3.5rem;
+  padding-bottom: 0.3rem;
+  border-radius: 12px;
+  background: var(--swatch);
+  color: #fff;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  text-transform: capitalize;
+  text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / 35%);
+  cursor: pointer;
+  transition: transform 150ms ease, box-shadow 150ms ease;
+}
+color-swatch-picker .swatch:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); }
+color-swatch-picker .swatch input { position: absolute; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; }
+color-swatch-picker .swatch:has(:checked) {
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px var(--page, #fff), 0 0 0 5px var(--ink, #1d1d29);
+}
+color-swatch-picker .swatch:has(:focus-visible) {
+  outline: 2px solid #7c5cff;
+  outline-offset: 6px;
+}
diff --git a/examples/color-swatch-picker.ts b/examples/color-swatch-picker.ts
index 8998695..5ef6a07 100644
--- a/examples/color-swatch-picker.ts
+++ b/examples/color-swatch-picker.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { WebComponent, choice, string } from '../src/index.ts';
 import { share } from './main-context.ts';
 import { SWATCHES, THEMES } from './themes.ts';
+import css from './color-swatch-picker.css' with { type: 'css' };
 
 /**
  * Light DOM radio group. The radios are real light-DOM `<input>`s, so arrow
@@ -22,37 +23,7 @@ const SPEC = {
       </div>
     </fieldset>
   `,
-  css: `
-    color-swatch-picker { display: block; font: 0.9rem/1.3 system-ui, sans-serif; }
-    color-swatch-picker fieldset { border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0; }
-    color-swatch-picker legend { font-weight: 600; padding: 0; margin-bottom: 0.35rem; }
-    color-swatch-picker .swatches { display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; gap: 0.5rem; }
-    color-swatch-picker .swatch {
-      position: relative;
-      display: grid;
-      place-items: end center;
-      width: 5.5rem;
-      height: 3.5rem;
-      padding-bottom: 0.3rem;
-      border-radius: 12px;
-      background: var(--swatch);
-      color: #fff;
-      font-weight: 600;
-      text-transform: capitalize;
-      text-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgb(0 0 0 / 35%);
-      cursor: pointer;
-      transition: transform 150ms ease, box-shadow 150ms ease;
-    }
-    color-swatch-picker .swatch:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); }
-    color-swatch-picker .swatch input { position: absolute; opacity: 0; pointer-events: none; }
-    color-swatch-picker .swatch:has(:checked) {
-      box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px var(--page, #fff), 0 0 0 5px var(--ink, #1d1d29);
-    }
-    color-swatch-picker .swatch:has(:focus-visible) {
-      outline: 2px solid #7c5cff;
-      outline-offset: 6px;
-    }
-  `,
+  css,
   events: {
     change: true,
   },
diff --git a/examples/hero-banner.css b/examples/hero-banner.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ba33d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/hero-banner.css
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+:host {
+  --a: #ff5f6d;
+  --b: #ffc371;
+  --c: #ff5f6d;
+  --glow: rgb(255 95 109 / 45%);
+}
+:host([theme='ocean']) {
+  --a: #2193b0;
+  --b: #6dd5ed;
+  --c: #b2fefa;
+  --glow: rgb(33 147 176 / 45%);
+}
+:host([theme='neon']) {
+  --a: #f72585;
+  --b: #7209b7;
+  --c: #4cc9f0;
+  --glow: rgb(114 9 183 / 55%);
+}
+
+.stage {
+  background:
+    radial-gradient(60% 80% at 15% 10%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--a) 35%, transparent), transparent),
+    radial-gradient(50% 70% at 85% 90%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 30%, transparent), transparent),
+    #0d0d14;
+  box-shadow: 0 30px 80px -30px var(--glow);
+  transition: box-shadow 400ms ease;
+}
+
+h1 {
+  background: linear-gradient(100deg, var(--a), var(--b), var(--c), var(--a)) 0 0 / 300% 100%;
+  -webkit-background-clip: text;
+  background-clip: text;
+  color: transparent;
+  animation: flow 6s linear infinite;
+  filter: drop-shadow(0 4px 24px var(--glow));
+}
+
+.tagline {
+  animation: rise 700ms cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 1) both;
+}
+
+@keyframes flow {
+  to { background-position: 300% 0; }
+}
+@keyframes rise {
+  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(8px); }
+}
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  h1, .tagline { animation: none; }
+}
diff --git a/examples/hero-banner.ts b/examples/hero-banner.ts
index 67b7218..9e6bc54 100644
--- a/examples/hero-banner.ts
+++ b/examples/hero-banner.ts
@@ -1,59 +1,7 @@
 import { WebComponent, choice, string, type PropChange } from '../src/index.ts';
 import { THEMES } from './themes.ts';
 import { register } from './main-context.ts';
-
-const css = `
-:host {
-  --a: #ff5f6d;
-  --b: #ffc371;
-  --c: #ff5f6d;
-  --glow: rgb(255 95 109 / 45%);
-}
-:host([theme='ocean']) {
-  --a: #2193b0;
-  --b: #6dd5ed;
-  --c: #b2fefa;
-  --glow: rgb(33 147 176 / 45%);
-}
-:host([theme='neon']) {
-  --a: #f72585;
-  --b: #7209b7;
-  --c: #4cc9f0;
-  --glow: rgb(114 9 183 / 55%);
-}
-
-.stage {
-  background:
-    radial-gradient(60% 80% at 15% 10%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--a) 35%, transparent), transparent),
-    radial-gradient(50% 70% at 85% 90%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 30%, transparent), transparent),
-    #0d0d14;
-  box-shadow: 0 30px 80px -30px var(--glow);
-  transition: box-shadow 400ms ease;
-}
-
-h1 {
-  background: linear-gradient(100deg, var(--a), var(--b), var(--c), var(--a)) 0 0 / 300% 100%;
-  -webkit-background-clip: text;
-  background-clip: text;
-  color: transparent;
-  animation: flow 6s linear infinite;
-  filter: drop-shadow(0 4px 24px var(--glow));
-}
-
-.tagline {
-  animation: rise 700ms cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.8, 0.2, 1) both;
-}
-
-@keyframes flow {
-  to { background-position: 300% 0; }
-}
-@keyframes rise {
-  from { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(8px); }
-}
-@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
-  h1, .tagline { animation: none; }
-}
-`;
+import css from './hero-banner.css' with { type: 'css' };
 
 /**
  * Declarative shadow DOM: the shadow root and its layout `<style>` are written
diff --git a/examples/index.html b/examples/index.html
index 16f0560..99666ce 100644
--- a/examples/index.html
+++ b/examples/index.html
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@
             <h2>Controls <span class="kind">light DOM</span></h2>
             <p>
               <code>&lt;labeled-field&gt;</code> and <code>&lt;color-swatch-picker&gt;</code> render
-              into the light DOM; their CSS lives in a <code>&lt;style&gt;</code> in
-              <code>&lt;head&gt;</code>. They never touch the other components: each edit is
+              into the light DOM; their CSS is a CSS module adopted into
+              <code>document.adoptedStyleSheets</code>. They never touch the other components: each edit is
               shared with <code>&lt;main-context&gt;</code>, which calls the
               <code>on…</code> callbacks the other components registered.
             </p>
diff --git a/examples/labeled-field.css b/examples/labeled-field.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ead5a34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/labeled-field.css
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+labeled-field {
+  display: grid;
+  gap: 0.35rem;
+  font: 0.9rem/1.3 system-ui, sans-serif;
+}
+labeled-field label { display: grid; gap: 0.35rem; }
+labeled-field .field-label { font-weight: 600; color: var(--ink, #1d1d29); }
+labeled-field[required] .field-label::after { content: ' *'; color: #e5484d; }
+labeled-field input {
+  font: inherit;
+  padding: 0.6rem 0.75rem;
+  border: 1.5px solid var(--line, #d9d9e3);
+  border-radius: 10px;
+  background: var(--field, #fff);
+  color: inherit;
+  transition: border-color 150ms ease, box-shadow 150ms ease;
+}
+labeled-field input:focus {
+  outline: none;
+  border-color: #7c5cff;
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgb(124 92 255 / 18%);
+}
+labeled-field .field-hint { color: var(--muted, #6b6b7b); min-height: 1.3em; }
+labeled-field:state(invalid) input { border-color: #e5484d; }
+labeled-field:state(invalid) input:focus { box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgb(229 72 77 / 18%); }
+labeled-field:state(invalid) .field-hint { color: #e5484d; }
diff --git a/examples/labeled-field.html b/examples/labeled-field.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..759b932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/labeled-field.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<label>
+  <span class="field-label"></span>
+  <input>
+</label>
+<small class="field-hint"></small>
diff --git a/examples/labeled-field.ts b/examples/labeled-field.ts
index 0e95217..46ca9df 100644
--- a/examples/labeled-field.ts
+++ b/examples/labeled-field.ts
@@ -1,48 +1,13 @@
 import { WebComponent, choice, enable, string, type PropChange } from '../src/index.ts';
 import { dispatch } from './dispatch.ts';
 import type { FieldInput } from './main-context.ts';
-
-const css = `
-labeled-field {
-  display: grid;
-  gap: 0.35rem;
-  font: 0.9rem/1.3 system-ui, sans-serif;
-}
-labeled-field label { display: grid; gap: 0.35rem; }
-labeled-field .field-label { font-weight: 600; color: var(--ink, #1d1d29); }
-labeled-field[required] .field-label::after { content: ' *'; color: #e5484d; }
-labeled-field input {
-  font: inherit;
-  padding: 0.6rem 0.75rem;
-  border: 1.5px solid var(--line, #d9d9e3);
-  border-radius: 10px;
-  background: var(--field, #fff);
-  color: inherit;
-  transition: border-color 150ms ease, box-shadow 150ms ease;
-}
-labeled-field input:focus {
-  outline: none;
-  border-color: #7c5cff;
-  box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgb(124 92 255 / 18%);
-}
-labeled-field .field-hint { color: var(--muted, #6b6b7b); min-height: 1.3em; }
-labeled-field:state(invalid) input { border-color: #e5484d; }
-labeled-field:state(invalid) input:focus { box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px rgb(229 72 77 / 18%); }
-labeled-field:state(invalid) .field-hint { color: #e5484d; }
-`;
-
-const template = `
-<label>
-  <span class="field-label"></span>
-  <input>
-</label>
-<small class="field-hint"></small>
-`;
+import css from './labeled-field.css' with { type: 'css' };
+import template from './labeled-field.html' with { type: 'text' };
 
 /**
  * Light DOM: `template` is appended into the element on first connect, so the
  * `<input>` is a real child of the page and works with page CSS, autofill and
- * `document.querySelector`. `css` goes into `<head>` once for every instance.
+ * `document.querySelector`. `css` is adopted into the document once for every instance.
  * The native `input` event bubbles out of the inner `<input>` to the host, which
  * reports it to `<main-context>` as a `wc:field-input` keyed by `name`.
  */
diff --git a/examples/main-context.css b/examples/main-context.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df95ce7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/main-context.css
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+main-context { display: contents; }
diff --git a/examples/main-context.ts b/examples/main-context.ts
index 563596c..896c0c5 100644
--- a/examples/main-context.ts
+++ b/examples/main-context.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { WebComponent, custom, type HandledEvent } from '../src/index.ts';
 import { dispatch } from './dispatch.ts';
 import type { Theme } from './themes.ts';
+import css from './main-context.css' with { type: 'css' };
 
 /** Every update components can share through `<main-context>`: name → value. */
 export interface Updates {
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ export function share<K extends keyof Updates>(el: HTMLElement, name: K, value:
  */
 const SPEC = {
   // Light DOM with no template: a pure wrapper that doesn't affect layout.
-  css: 'main-context { display: contents; }',
+  css,
   events: {
     'wc:register': custom<Registration>(),
     'wc:field-input': custom<FieldInput>(),
diff --git a/examples/modules.d.ts b/examples/modules.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f3cfdbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/modules.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// `import sheet from './x.css' with { type: 'css' }` gives a constructed stylesheet.
+declare module '*.css' {
+  const sheet: CSSStyleSheet;
+  export default sheet;
+}
+
+// `import text from './x.html' with { type: 'text' }` gives the file's contents.
+declare module '*.html' {
+  const text: string;
+  export default text;
+}
diff --git a/examples/secret-note.css b/examples/secret-note.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5d2ead
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/secret-note.css
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+:host {
+  display: grid;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  padding: 1.25rem;
+  border-radius: 14px;
+  background: repeating-linear-gradient(-45deg, #1f1b2e 0 12px, #241f36 12px 24px);
+  color: #f0eaff;
+  font: 0.95rem/1.5 ui-monospace, 'SF Mono', Menlo, monospace;
+}
+button {
+  all: unset;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  justify-self: start;
+  padding: 0.4rem 0.8rem;
+  border-radius: 999px;
+  background: #3b3355;
+  transition: background 150ms ease;
+}
+button:hover { background: #4a4170; }
+button:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #b69cff; outline-offset: 2px; }
+.lock { transition: transform 300ms ease; }
+.message {
+  margin: 0;
+  filter: blur(6px);
+  user-select: none;
+  transition: filter 400ms ease;
+}
+:host([revealed]) .message { filter: none; user-select: auto; }
+:host([revealed]) .lock { transform: rotate(-20deg); }
diff --git a/examples/secret-note.html b/examples/secret-note.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f171634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/secret-note.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<button type="button" aria-expanded="false">
+  <span class="lock" aria-hidden="true">🔒</span>
+  <span class="hint">Click to reveal</span>
+</button>
+<p class="message"></p>
diff --git a/examples/secret-note.ts b/examples/secret-note.ts
index 2a9ccbc..85d7cbd 100644
--- a/examples/secret-note.ts
+++ b/examples/secret-note.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { WebComponent, enable, string, type PropChange } from '../src/index.ts';
 import { register } from './main-context.ts';
+import css from './secret-note.css' with { type: 'css' };
+import template from './secret-note.html' with { type: 'text' };
 
 /**
  * Closed shadow root built from `template`: `el.shadowRoot` is `null` from the
@@ -9,47 +11,8 @@ import { register } from './main-context.ts';
  */
 const SPEC = {
   shadow: 'closed',
-  template: `
-    <button type="button" aria-expanded="false">
-      <span class="lock" aria-hidden="true">🔒</span>
-      <span class="hint">Click to reveal</span>
-    </button>
-    <p class="message"></p>
-  `,
-  css: `
-    :host {
-      display: grid;
-      gap: 0.75rem;
-      padding: 1.25rem;
-      border-radius: 14px;
-      background: repeating-linear-gradient(-45deg, #1f1b2e 0 12px, #241f36 12px 24px);
-      color: #f0eaff;
-      font: 0.95rem/1.5 ui-monospace, 'SF Mono', Menlo, monospace;
-    }
-    button {
-      all: unset;
-      cursor: pointer;
-      display: inline-flex;
-      align-items: center;
-      gap: 0.5rem;
-      justify-self: start;
-      padding: 0.4rem 0.8rem;
-      border-radius: 999px;
-      background: #3b3355;
-      transition: background 150ms ease;
-    }
-    button:hover { background: #4a4170; }
-    button:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #b69cff; outline-offset: 2px; }
-    .lock { transition: transform 300ms ease; }
-    .message {
-      margin: 0;
-      filter: blur(6px);
-      user-select: none;
-      transition: filter 400ms ease;
-    }
-    :host([revealed]) .message { filter: none; user-select: auto; }
-    :host([revealed]) .lock { transform: rotate(-20deg); }
-  `,
+  template,
+  css,
   element: {
     toggle: 'button',
     hint: '.hint',
diff --git a/examples/star-rating.css b/examples/star-rating.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3fa1701
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/star-rating.css
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+:host {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  font: 500 0.95rem/1 system-ui, sans-serif;
+  color: var(--ink, #1d1d29);
+}
+.stars { display: inline-flex; gap: 0.15rem; }
+button {
+  all: unset;
+  cursor: pointer;
+  font-size: 1.75rem;
+  line-height: 1;
+  color: #d4d4dc;
+  transition: color 120ms ease, transform 120ms ease;
+}
+button:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #f5a524; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 4px; }
+button.on { color: #f5a524; }
+button.preview { color: #f8c96b; }
+:host(:not([readonly])) button:hover { transform: scale(1.2); }
+:host([readonly]) button { cursor: default; }
+output {
+  min-width: 3.5em;
+  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
+  color: var(--muted, #6b6b7b);
+}
diff --git a/examples/star-rating.html b/examples/star-rating.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4969b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/star-rating.html
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<span class="label"><slot>Rating</slot></span>
+<div class="stars" role="radiogroup"></div>
+<output>0 / 5</output>
diff --git a/examples/star-rating.ts b/examples/star-rating.ts
index c0577a5..2ce938c 100644
--- a/examples/star-rating.ts
+++ b/examples/star-rating.ts
@@ -1,34 +1,7 @@
 import { WebComponent, enable, number } from '../src/index.ts';
 import { register } from './main-context.ts';
-
-const css = `
-:host {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.75rem;
-  font: 500 0.95rem/1 system-ui, sans-serif;
-  color: var(--ink, #1d1d29);
-}
-.stars { display: inline-flex; gap: 0.15rem; }
-button {
-  all: unset;
-  cursor: pointer;
-  font-size: 1.75rem;
-  line-height: 1;
-  color: #d4d4dc;
-  transition: color 120ms ease, transform 120ms ease;
-}
-button:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #f5a524; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 4px; }
-button.on { color: #f5a524; }
-button.preview { color: #f8c96b; }
-:host(:not([readonly])) button:hover { transform: scale(1.2); }
-:host([readonly]) button { cursor: default; }
-output {
-  min-width: 3.5em;
-  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
-  color: var(--muted, #6b6b7b);
-}
-`;
+import css from './star-rating.css' with { type: 'css' };
+import template from './star-rating.html' with { type: 'text' };
 
 /**
  * Open shadow root built from `template`. The stars are rebuilt whenever `max`
@@ -38,11 +11,7 @@ output {
 const SPEC = {
   shadow: 'open',
   css,
-  template: `
-    <span class="label"><slot>Rating</slot></span>
-    <div class="stars" role="radiogroup"></div>
-    <output>0 / 5</output>
-  `,
+  template,
   events: { click: true, pointerover: true, pointerleave: true },
   element: { group: ['.stars', HTMLDivElement], output: 'output' },
   elements: { stars: 'button.star' },
diff --git a/oxlint.config.ts b/oxlint.config.ts
index 27b0a0e..36d491f 100644
--- a/oxlint.config.ts
+++ b/oxlint.config.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,13 @@ export default defineConfig({
         'eslint/default-case': 'off',
       },
     },
+    {
+      // Ambient declaration files are scripts on purpose: no imports or exports.
+      files: ['**/*.d.ts'],
+      rules: {
+        'import/unambiguous': 'off',
+      },
+    },
   ],
   env: {
     builtin: true,
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e8e55aa..87a341e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
     "LICENSE"
   ],
   "scripts": {
-    "examples": "vite examples",
+    "examples": "vite",
     "build": "rm -rf dist && tsc",
     "typecheck": "tsc --noEmit && tsc -p tsconfig.test.json",
     "lint": "oxlint --type-aware src test examples",
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index c34de6c..1ad3eac 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,12 @@ export interface Spec {
   readonly shadow?: 'open' | 'closed';
   /** Cloned into the shadow root, or appended to the light DOM on first connect. Ignored with declarative shadow DOM. */
   readonly template?: string | HTMLTemplateElement;
-  /** Adopted into the shadow root, or added once per root (document `<head>` / enclosing shadow root) for light DOM. */
-  readonly css?: string;
+  /**
+   * Adopted into the shadow root, or added once per root for light DOM: a string becomes a `<style>`
+   * in `<head>` (or is adopted into an enclosing shadow root); a `CSSStyleSheet` (e.g. a CSS module
+   * import) is adopted as-is into the document or enclosing shadow root.
+   */
+  readonly css?: string | CSSStyleSheet;
   /** Prefix every *derived* attribute name with `data-`. Explicit `attribute`s are used verbatim. */
   readonly dataPrefix?: boolean;
   /**
diff --git a/src/web-component.ts b/src/web-component.ts
index 51350e8..accef49 100644
--- a/src/web-component.ts
+++ b/src/web-component.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ export function WebComponent<const S extends Spec>(
   }
 
   let sheet: CSSStyleSheet | undefined;
-  function getSheet(css: string): CSSStyleSheet {
+  function getSheet(css: string | CSSStyleSheet): CSSStyleSheet {
+    if (typeof css !== 'string') return css;
     if (!sheet) {
       sheet = new CSSStyleSheet();
       sheet.replaceSync(css);
@@ -234,13 +235,13 @@ export function WebComponent<const S extends Spec>(
       const rootNode = this.getRootNode();
       if (styledRoots.has(rootNode)) return;
       styledRoots.add(rootNode);
-      if (rootNode instanceof ShadowRoot) {
-        rootNode.adoptedStyleSheets = [...rootNode.adoptedStyleSheets, getSheet(css)];
-      } else {
+      if (typeof css === 'string' && !(rootNode instanceof ShadowRoot)) {
         const style = document.createElement('style');
         style.dataset['wcMixin'] = this.localName;
         style.textContent = css;
         document.head.append(style);
+      } else if (rootNode instanceof ShadowRoot || rootNode instanceof Document) {
+        rootNode.adoptedStyleSheets = [...rootNode.adoptedStyleSheets, getSheet(css)];
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/web-component.test.ts b/test/web-component.test.ts
index 5bdd695..d5fe1f4 100644
--- a/test/web-component.test.ts
+++ b/test/web-component.test.ts
@@ -216,6 +216,36 @@ describe('light DOM', () => {
       'rgb(255, 0, 0)',
     );
   });
+
+  test('a CSSStyleSheet is adopted into the document once per element type', () => {
+    const sheet = new CSSStyleSheet();
+    sheet.replaceSync('p { color: red; }');
+    class El extends WebComponent({ css: sheet, template: '<p>hi</p>' }) {}
+    const tag = nextTag();
+    customElements.define(tag, El);
+    const before = document.adoptedStyleSheets.length;
+    document.body.append(new El(), new El());
+    expect(document.adoptedStyleSheets).toHaveLength(before + 1);
+    expect(document.adoptedStyleSheets.at(-1)).toBe(sheet);
+    expect(document.head.querySelector(`style[data-wc-mixin="${tag}"]`)).toBeNull();
+    expect(
+      getComputedStyle(instance(HTMLParagraphElement, document.querySelector(`${tag} p`))).color,
+    ).toBe('rgb(255, 0, 0)');
+    document.adoptedStyleSheets = document.adoptedStyleSheets.filter((s) => s !== sheet);
+  });
+
+  test('a CSSStyleSheet is adopted as-is into its own shadow root', () => {
+    const sheet = new CSSStyleSheet();
+    sheet.replaceSync('p { color: red; }');
+    class El extends WebComponent({ shadow: 'open', css: sheet, template: '<p>hi</p>' }) {}
+    customElements.define(nextTag(), El);
+    const el = new El();
+    document.body.append(el);
+    expect(el.shadowRoot?.adoptedStyleSheets).toEqual([sheet]);
+    expect(
+      getComputedStyle(instance(HTMLParagraphElement, el.shadowRoot?.querySelector('p'))).color,
+    ).toBe('rgb(255, 0, 0)');
+  });
 });
 
 describe('signal and events', () => {
diff --git a/vite.config.ts b/vite.config.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b2b1b8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vite.config.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
+import { defineConfig, type Plugin } from 'vite';
+
+const ATTRIBUTE_IMPORT =
+  /(from\s*)(['"])([^'"]+)\2\s*with\s*\{\s*type\s*:\s*(['"])(css|text)\4\s*\}/g;
+
+/**
+ * Standard import attributes, built for browsers that don't support them yet (Safari):
+ *
+ * - `import sheet from './x.css' with { type: 'css' }` → a `CSSStyleSheet`
+ * - `import text from './x.html' with { type: 'text' }` → the file's contents as a string
+ *
+ * The attribute is rewritten to a query before Vite sees the import. `?raw` makes Vite's own CSS
+ * handling leave the file alone; `&sheet` is loaded here as a module that builds the stylesheet.
+ */
+function importAttributes(): Plugin {
+  return {
+    name: 'import-attributes',
+    enforce: 'pre',
+    transform(code, id) {
+      if (!/\.[cm]?[jt]s$/.test(id) || !code.includes('with')) return null;
+      const out = code.replace(
+        ATTRIBUTE_IMPORT,
+        (_, from: string, quote: string, path: string, _q: string, type: string) =>
+          `${from}${quote}${path}?raw${type === 'css' ? '&sheet' : ''}${quote}`,
+      );
+      return out === code ? null : { code: out, map: null };
+    },
+    async load(id) {
+      if (!id.endsWith('?raw&sheet')) return null;
+      const file = id.slice(0, -'?raw&sheet'.length);
+      this.addWatchFile(file);
+      const css = await readFile(file, 'utf8');
+      return `const sheet = new CSSStyleSheet();\nsheet.replaceSync(${JSON.stringify(css)});\nexport default sheet;\n`;
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+export default defineConfig({
+  root: 'examples',
+  plugins: [importAttributes()],
+});