diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 69e3256..8f828b3 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ var quoteStrings bool
 var implementEqual bool
 var implementString bool
 var returnError bool
+var newFuncPublic bool
 
 var Usage = func() {
 	fmt.Fprintf(flag.CommandLine.Output(), "Usage of %s <type>:\n\n", os.Args[0])
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ func initFlags() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&implementEqual, "cmp", true, `set to false to disable creating Equals() method for options`)
 	flag.BoolVar(&returnError, "noerror", true, `set to false if you do not want to return an error when creating a new config`)
 	flag.BoolVar(&runGoFmt, "fmt", true, `set to false to skip go format`)
+	flag.BoolVar(&newFuncPublic, "public", false, `set to true to make the 'new' function public`)
 	flag.Usage = Usage
 }
 
@@ -288,6 +290,7 @@ func writeOptionsFile(types []string, packageName string, node ast.Node, fset *t
 			"implementEqual":      implementEqual,
 			"implementString":     implementString,
 			"returnError":         returnError,
+			"newFuncPublic":       newFuncPublic,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(fmt.Errorf("template execute failed: %s", err))
diff --git a/render.gotmpl b/render.gotmpl
index 9f360e2..6260f74 100644
--- a/render.gotmpl
+++ b/render.gotmpl
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ func (f {{ $applyOptionFuncType }}) apply(c *{{ $.configTypeName }}) {{ if $.ret
 {{ $applyFuncName := or $.applyFuncName (printf "apply%sOptions" (ToPublic $.configTypeName)) }}
 
 {{ if $.createNewFunc}}
-func new{{ $.configTypeName | ToPublic}}(options ...{{ $.optionTypeName }}) {{ if $.returnError -}} ({{ $.configTypeName }} , error) {{else}} {{ $.configTypeName }} {{ end }} {
+func {{ if $.newFuncPublic -}}New{{- else -}}new{{- end -}}{{ $.configTypeName | ToPublic}}(options ...{{ $.optionTypeName }}) {{ if $.returnError -}} ({{ $.configTypeName }} , error) {{else}} {{ $.configTypeName }} {{ end }} {
     var c {{ $.configTypeName }}
     {{ if $.returnError -}}
     err := {{ $applyFuncName }}(&c, options...)
diff --git a/template_text.go b/template_text.go
index f5be069..8c3a345 100644
--- a/template_text.go
+++ b/template_text.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (f {{ $applyOptionFuncType }}) apply(c *{{ $.configTypeName }}) {{ if $.ret
 {{ $applyFuncName := or $.applyFuncName (printf "apply%sOptions" (ToPublic $.configTypeName)) }}
 
 {{ if $.createNewFunc}}
-func new{{ $.configTypeName | ToPublic}}(options ...{{ $.optionTypeName }}) {{ if $.returnError -}} ({{ $.configTypeName }} , error) {{else}} {{ $.configTypeName }} {{ end }} {
+func {{ if $.newFuncPublic -}}New{{- else -}}new{{- end -}}{{ $.configTypeName | ToPublic}}(options ...{{ $.optionTypeName }}) {{ if $.returnError -}} ({{ $.configTypeName }} , error) {{else}} {{ $.configTypeName }} {{ end }} {
     var c {{ $.configTypeName }}
     {{ if $.returnError -}}
     err := {{ $applyFuncName }}(&c, options...)
diff --git a/test/sample.go b/test/sample.go
index bacd688..f05ba1d 100644
--- a/test/sample.go
+++ b/test/sample.go
@@ -94,3 +94,8 @@ type configWithoutStringer struct {
 type configWithNoError struct {
 	myInt int
 }
+
+//go:generate go-options -public=true -option PublicFuncOption configWithPublicNewFunc
+type configWithPublicNewFunc struct {
+	myInt int
+}
diff --git a/test/sample_test.go b/test/sample_test.go
index 73866d6..1a0c933 100644
--- a/test/sample_test.go
+++ b/test/sample_test.go
@@ -265,3 +265,11 @@ var _ = Describe("Disabling stringer", func() {
 		Ω(fmt.Sprintf("%v", NoStringerOptionMyInt(1))).Should(Equal("{1}"))
 	})
 })
+
+var _ = Describe("Public new function", func() {
+	It("Makes the new confic cunction public", func() {
+		cfg, err := NewConfigWithPublicNewFunc(PublicFuncOptionMyInt(10))
+		Ω(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Ω(cfg.myInt).Should(Equal(10))
+	})
+})