diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 206da18..8fcd82d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ It uses phantom types to model dimensions like length, area, mass, volume, flow,
 - JSON marshaling based on the scalar base-unit value
 - JSON scalar output rounded to 15 significant digits, plus `MarshalJSONIn` for a chosen unit
 - Text marshaling and `database/sql` interop helpers
+- Allocation-conscious `AppendText` helpers and base-unit `ParseBase`
 - `time.Duration` interop with `FromDuration` and `ToDuration`
 - Support for affine temperature conversions
 - Separate temperature-delta quantities for safe temperature differences
@@ -53,10 +54,10 @@ Output:
 ## Core API
 
 ```go
-type Quantity[D any] struct
+type Quantity[D Dimension] struct
 
-func New[D any, U Unit[D]](v float64, u U) Quantity[D]
-func From[D any](v float64, u BuiltinUnit[D]) Quantity[D]
+func New[D Dimension, U Unit[D]](v float64, u U) Quantity[D]
+func From[D Dimension](v float64, u BuiltinUnit[D]) Quantity[D]
 
 func (q Quantity[D]) To(u Unit[D]) float64
 func (q Quantity[D]) Value(u Unit[D]) float64
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ func (q Quantity[D]) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error)
 func (q *Quantity[D]) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error
 func (q Quantity[D]) MarshalText() ([]byte, error)
 func (q *Quantity[D]) UnmarshalText(text []byte) error
+func (q Quantity[D]) AppendText(dst []byte) ([]byte, error)
+func (q Quantity[D]) AppendTextIn(dst []byte, u Unit[D]) []byte
+func ParseBase[D Dimension](text string) (Quantity[D], error)
 func (q Quantity[D]) Add(other Quantity[D]) Quantity[D]
 func (q Quantity[D]) Sub(other Quantity[D]) Quantity[D]
 func (q Quantity[D]) Mul(scalar float64) Quantity[D]
@@ -128,6 +132,12 @@ text, _ := quant.Pounds(10).MarshalText()
 fmt.Println(string(text)) // 4.5359237
 ```
 
+For allocation-conscious text output, use `AppendText`; `ParseBase` parses a
+base-unit scalar without introducing unit-name parsing into the core package.
+The existing unit-aware `Format(unit)` method prevents implementing
+`fmt.Formatter` without an API-breaking rename, so formatting in a selected
+unit remains explicit.
+
 For `database/sql`, use the adapter helper:
 
 ```go
diff --git a/quantity.go b/quantity.go
index 0ea2b0a..885332b 100644
--- a/quantity.go
+++ b/quantity.go
@@ -56,7 +56,19 @@ func (q *Quantity[D]) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 
 // MarshalText encodes the quantity as a base-unit scalar value.
 func (q Quantity[D]) MarshalText() ([]byte, error) {
-	return []byte(formatScalar(q.value)), nil
+	return q.AppendText(nil)
+}
+
+// AppendText appends the base-unit scalar representation to dst. It mirrors
+// MarshalText without requiring an intermediate allocation.
+func (q Quantity[D]) AppendText(dst []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	return strconv.AppendFloat(dst, q.value, 'g', 15, 64), nil
+}
+
+// AppendTextIn appends the scalar representation in the requested unit to dst.
+// The unit symbol is intentionally omitted, matching Format's scalar portion.
+func (q Quantity[D]) AppendTextIn(dst []byte, u Unit[D]) []byte {
+	return strconv.AppendFloat(dst, q.To(u), 'g', 12, 64)
 }
 
 // UnmarshalText decodes a base-unit scalar value into the quantity.
@@ -70,6 +82,17 @@ func (q *Quantity[D]) UnmarshalText(text []byte) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// ParseBase parses a base-unit scalar into a quantity. It does not parse unit
+// names or symbols; use New when the input is expressed in another unit.
+func ParseBase[D Dimension](text string) (Quantity[D], error) {
+	v, err := strconv.ParseFloat(text, 64)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Quantity[D]{}, err
+	}
+
+	return Quantity[D]{value: v}, nil
+}
+
 // Format formats the quantity in the provided unit.
 func (q Quantity[D]) Format(u Unit[D]) string {
 	value := strconv.FormatFloat(q.To(u), 'g', 12, 64)
diff --git a/quantity_bench_test.go b/quantity_bench_test.go
index 1a077ef..5d5b9d4 100644
--- a/quantity_bench_test.go
+++ b/quantity_bench_test.go
@@ -35,9 +35,9 @@ func BenchmarkAdd(b *testing.B) {
 	b.ResetTimer()
 
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		result = result.Add(c)
+		benchmarkQuantity = result.Add(c)
+		result = benchmarkQuantity
 	}
-	benchmarkQuantity = result
 }
 
 func BenchmarkDiv(b *testing.B) {
diff --git a/quantity_test.go b/quantity_test.go
index bd35e12..7460d3f 100644
--- a/quantity_test.go
+++ b/quantity_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package quant_test
 
 import (
 	"database/sql/driver"
+	"encoding"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
@@ -505,6 +506,26 @@ func TestTextMarshalingUsesBaseUnit(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestTextAppendAndParseBase(t *testing.T) {
+	data, err := quant.Pounds(10).AppendText([]byte("value="))
+	if err != nil || string(data) != "value=4.5359237" {
+		t.Fatalf("AppendText mismatch: data=%q err=%v", data, err)
+	}
+
+	data = quant.Pounds(10).AppendTextIn(nil, quant.Pound)
+	if string(data) != "10" {
+		t.Fatalf("AppendTextIn mismatch: got %q", data)
+	}
+
+	q, err := quant.ParseBase[quant.Mass]("4.5359237")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseBase error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got, want := q.To(quant.Kilogram), 4.5359237; !almostEqual(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("ParseBase mismatch: got %.10f want %.10f", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSQLQuantityInterop(t *testing.T) {
 	value, err := quant.SQL(quant.Kilograms(5)).Value()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -539,6 +560,10 @@ func TestSQLQuantityImplementsValuer(t *testing.T) {
 	var _ driver.Valuer = quant.SQL(quant.Kilograms(1))
 }
 
+func TestQuantityImplementsTextAppender(t *testing.T) {
+	var _ encoding.TextAppender = quant.Pounds(1)
+}
+
 func Example_massConversion() {
 	kg := quant.Amount[quant.Mass](10).From(quant.Pound).To(quant.Kilogram)
 	fmt.Printf("%.6f\n", kg)