diff --git a/components/script/dom/bindings/conversions.rs b/components/script/dom/bindings/conversions.rs
index 7bd6a3c8b90..9078fe77ed4 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/bindings/conversions.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/bindings/conversions.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ use js::rust::{ToInt64, ToUint64};
 use libc;
 use num::Float;
 use num::traits::{Bounded, Zero};
-use std::borrow::ToOwned;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::{char, ptr, slice};
 use util::str::DOMString;
@@ -517,7 +516,7 @@ impl FromJSValConvertible for DOMString {
                   -> Result<DOMString, ()> {
         if null_behavior == StringificationBehavior::Empty &&
            value.get().is_null() {
-            Ok("".to_owned())
+            Ok(DOMString::new())
         } else {
             let jsstr = unsafe { ToString(cx, value) };
             if jsstr.is_null() {
diff --git a/components/script/dom/blob.rs b/components/script/dom/blob.rs
index 0645a146c0f..b42bcce573e 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/blob.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/blob.rs
@@ -113,13 +113,13 @@ impl BlobMethods for Blob {
             }
         };
         let relativeContentType = match contentType {
-            None => "".to_owned(),
+            None => DOMString::new(),
             Some(mut str) => {
                 if is_ascii_printable(&str) {
                     str.make_ascii_lowercase();
                     str
                 } else {
-                    "".to_owned()
+                    DOMString::new()
                 }
             }
         };
diff --git a/components/script/dom/characterdata.rs b/components/script/dom/characterdata.rs
index b012122c2ec..5c1558086ea 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/characterdata.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/characterdata.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ impl CharacterDataMethods for CharacterData {
 
     // https://dom.spec.whatwg.org/#dom-characterdata-deletedataoffset-count
     fn DeleteData(&self, offset: u32, count: u32) -> ErrorResult {
-        self.ReplaceData(offset, count, "".to_owned())
+        self.ReplaceData(offset, count, DOMString::new())
     }
 
     // https://dom.spec.whatwg.org/#dom-characterdata-replacedata
diff --git a/components/script/dom/cssstyledeclaration.rs b/components/script/dom/cssstyledeclaration.rs
index 5eff390ff69..a3f2f048b22 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/cssstyledeclaration.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/cssstyledeclaration.rs
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ impl CSSStyleDeclarationMethods for CSSStyleDeclaration {
 
         if self.readonly {
             // Readonly style declarations are used for getComputedStyle.
-            return self.get_computed_style(&property).unwrap_or("".to_owned());
+            return self.get_computed_style(&property).unwrap_or(DOMString::new());
         }
 
         // Step 2
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ impl CSSStyleDeclarationMethods for CSSStyleDeclaration {
                 // Step 2.2.2 & 2.2.3
                 match declaration {
                     Some(declaration) => list.push(declaration),
-                    None => return "".to_owned(),
+                    None => return DOMString::new(),
                 }
             }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ impl CSSStyleDeclarationMethods for CSSStyleDeclaration {
         // Step 3 & 4
         let result = match owner.get_inline_style_declaration(&property) {
             Some(declaration) => declaration.value(),
-            None => "".to_owned(),
+            None => DOMString::new(),
         };
         result
     }
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ impl CSSStyleDeclarationMethods for CSSStyleDeclaration {
         }
 
         // Step 4
-        "".to_owned()
+        DOMString::new()
     }
 
     // https://dev.w3.org/csswg/cssom/#dom-cssstyledeclaration-setproperty
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ impl CSSStyleDeclarationMethods for CSSStyleDeclaration {
 
     // https://dev.w3.org/csswg/cssom/#dom-cssstyledeclaration-setpropertyvalue
     fn SetPropertyValue(&self, property: DOMString, value: DOMString) -> ErrorResult {
-        self.SetProperty(property, value, "".to_owned())
+        self.SetProperty(property, value, DOMString::new())
     }
 
     // https://dev.w3.org/csswg/cssom/#dom-cssstyledeclaration-removeproperty
diff --git a/components/script/dom/document.rs b/components/script/dom/document.rs
index eb018092a24..7a6b569897e 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/document.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/document.rs
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ impl Document {
             Some(ref body) => {
                 body.upcast::<Element>().get_string_attribute(local_name)
             },
-            None => "".to_owned()
+            None => DOMString::new()
         }
     }
 
@@ -1543,7 +1543,7 @@ impl DocumentMethods for Document {
         let name = Atom::from_slice(&local_name);
         // repetition used because string_cache::atom::Atom is non-copyable
         let l_name = Atom::from_slice(&local_name);
-        let value = AttrValue::String("".to_owned());
+        let value = AttrValue::String(DOMString::new());
 
         Ok(Attr::new(&self.window, name, value, l_name, ns!(""), None, None))
     }
@@ -1553,7 +1553,7 @@ impl DocumentMethods for Document {
                          -> Fallible<Root<Attr>> {
         let (namespace, prefix, local_name) =
             try!(validate_and_extract(namespace, &qualified_name));
-        let value = AttrValue::String("".to_owned());
+        let value = AttrValue::String(DOMString::new());
         let qualified_name = Atom::from_slice(&qualified_name);
         Ok(Attr::new(&self.window, local_name, value, qualified_name,
                      namespace, prefix, None))
diff --git a/components/script/dom/documenttype.rs b/components/script/dom/documenttype.rs
index 1754ad84f66..ed5a64307cc 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/documenttype.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/documenttype.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ use dom::bindings::inheritance::Castable;
 use dom::bindings::js::Root;
 use dom::document::Document;
 use dom::node::Node;
-use std::borrow::ToOwned;
 use util::str::DOMString;
 
 // https://dom.spec.whatwg.org/#documenttype
@@ -32,8 +31,8 @@ impl DocumentType {
         DocumentType {
             node: Node::new_inherited(document),
             name: name,
-            public_id: public_id.unwrap_or("".to_owned()),
-            system_id: system_id.unwrap_or("".to_owned())
+            public_id: public_id.unwrap_or(DOMString::new()),
+            system_id: system_id.unwrap_or(DOMString::new())
         }
     }
     #[allow(unrooted_must_root)]
diff --git a/components/script/dom/domstringmap.rs b/components/script/dom/domstringmap.rs
index b27f0eca4e0..5486af84a8b 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/domstringmap.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/domstringmap.rs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ impl DOMStringMapMethods for DOMStringMap {
             },
             None => {
                 *found = false;
-                String::new()
+                DOMString::new()
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/components/script/dom/element.rs b/components/script/dom/element.rs
index 9f860d1f2bb..447658e4660 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/element.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/element.rs
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ impl Element {
     pub fn set_bool_attribute(&self, local_name: &Atom, value: bool) {
         if self.has_attribute(local_name) == value { return; }
         if value {
-            self.set_string_attribute(local_name, String::new());
+            self.set_string_attribute(local_name, DOMString::new());
         } else {
             self.remove_attribute(&ns!(""), local_name);
         }
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ impl Element {
     pub fn get_url_attribute(&self, local_name: &Atom) -> DOMString {
         assert!(&**local_name == local_name.to_ascii_lowercase());
         if !self.has_attribute(local_name) {
-            return "".to_owned();
+            return DOMString::new();
         }
         let url = self.get_string_attribute(local_name);
         let doc = document_from_node(self);
@@ -1042,7 +1042,7 @@ impl Element {
     pub fn get_string_attribute(&self, local_name: &Atom) -> DOMString {
         match self.get_attribute(&ns!(""), local_name) {
             Some(x) => x.Value(),
-            None => "".to_owned()
+            None => DOMString::new()
         }
     }
     pub fn set_string_attribute(&self, local_name: &Atom, value: DOMString) {
diff --git a/components/script/dom/errorevent.rs b/components/script/dom/errorevent.rs
index 21e70ab8436..75c782becf9 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/errorevent.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/errorevent.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ use dom::bindings::trace::JSTraceable;
 use dom::event::{Event, EventBubbles, EventCancelable};
 use js::jsapi::{RootedValue, HandleValue, JSContext};
 use js::jsval::JSVal;
-use std::borrow::ToOwned;
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use util::str::DOMString;
 
@@ -34,8 +33,8 @@ impl ErrorEvent {
     fn new_inherited() -> ErrorEvent {
         ErrorEvent {
             event: Event::new_inherited(),
-            message: DOMRefCell::new("".to_owned()),
-            filename: DOMRefCell::new("".to_owned()),
+            message: DOMRefCell::new(DOMString::new()),
+            filename: DOMRefCell::new(DOMString::new()),
             lineno: Cell::new(0),
             colno: Cell::new(0),
             error: MutHeapJSVal::new()
@@ -76,12 +75,12 @@ impl ErrorEvent {
                        init: &ErrorEventBinding::ErrorEventInit) -> Fallible<Root<ErrorEvent>>{
         let msg = match init.message.as_ref() {
             Some(message) => message.clone(),
-            None => "".to_owned(),
+            None => DOMString::new(),
         };
 
         let file_name = match init.filename.as_ref() {
-            None => "".to_owned(),
             Some(filename) => filename.clone(),
+            None => DOMString::new(),
         };
 
         let line_num = init.lineno.unwrap_or(0);
diff --git a/components/script/dom/htmldialogelement.rs b/components/script/dom/htmldialogelement.rs
index 0d9e534f85c..d52d564d74b 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/htmldialogelement.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/htmldialogelement.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ use dom::bindings::js::Root;
 use dom::document::Document;
 use dom::htmlelement::HTMLElement;
 use dom::node::Node;
-use std::borrow::ToOwned;
 use util::str::DOMString;
 
 #[dom_struct]
@@ -25,7 +24,7 @@ impl HTMLDialogElement {
         HTMLDialogElement {
             htmlelement:
                 HTMLElement::new_inherited(localName, prefix, document),
-            return_value: DOMRefCell::new("".to_owned()),
+            return_value: DOMRefCell::new(DOMString::new()),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/components/script/dom/htmlformelement.rs b/components/script/dom/htmlformelement.rs
index 66a03f1557d..0f28260d970 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/htmlformelement.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/htmlformelement.rs
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ pub trait FormControl: DerivedFrom<Element> + Reflectable {
         if self.to_element().has_attribute(attr) {
             input(self)
         } else {
-            self.form_owner().map_or("".to_owned(), |t| owner(t.r()))
+            self.form_owner().map_or(DOMString::new(), |t| owner(t.r()))
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/components/script/dom/htmlinputelement.rs b/components/script/dom/htmlinputelement.rs
index 04ff8e0d670..daa7fbde84b 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/htmlinputelement.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/htmlinputelement.rs
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ impl HTMLInputElement {
                 HTMLElement::new_inherited_with_state(IN_ENABLED_STATE,
                                                       localName, prefix, document),
             input_type: Cell::new(InputType::InputText),
-            placeholder: DOMRefCell::new("".to_owned()),
+            placeholder: DOMRefCell::new(DOMString::new()),
             checked_changed: Cell::new(false),
             value_changed: Cell::new(false),
             size: Cell::new(DEFAULT_INPUT_SIZE),
-            textinput: DOMRefCell::new(TextInput::new(Single, "".to_owned(), chan)),
+            textinput: DOMRefCell::new(TextInput::new(Single, DOMString::new(), chan)),
             activation_state: DOMRefCell::new(InputActivationState::new())
         }
     }
diff --git a/components/script/dom/htmloptionelement.rs b/components/script/dom/htmloptionelement.rs
index 873745dd6a7..9db05875b91 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/htmloptionelement.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/htmloptionelement.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ impl HTMLOptionElementMethods for HTMLOptionElement {
 
     // https://html.spec.whatwg.org/multipage/#dom-option-text
     fn Text(&self) -> DOMString {
-        let mut content = String::new();
+        let mut content = DOMString::new();
         collect_text(self.upcast(), &mut content);
         str_join(split_html_space_chars(&content), " ")
     }
diff --git a/components/script/dom/htmltextareaelement.rs b/components/script/dom/htmltextareaelement.rs
index 0b31e628743..fbb71031125 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/htmltextareaelement.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/htmltextareaelement.rs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ impl HTMLTextAreaElement {
             htmlelement:
                 HTMLElement::new_inherited_with_state(IN_ENABLED_STATE,
                                                       localName, prefix, document),
-            textinput: DOMRefCell::new(TextInput::new(Lines::Multiple, "".to_owned(), chan)),
+            textinput: DOMRefCell::new(TextInput::new(Lines::Multiple, DOMString::new(), chan)),
             cols: Cell::new(DEFAULT_COLS),
             rows: Cell::new(DEFAULT_ROWS),
             value_changed: Cell::new(false),
diff --git a/components/script/dom/keyboardevent.rs b/components/script/dom/keyboardevent.rs
index 86c536f69e4..c7f91cccee8 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/keyboardevent.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/keyboardevent.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ use dom::window::Window;
 use msg::constellation_msg;
 use msg::constellation_msg::{ALT, CONTROL, SHIFT, SUPER};
 use msg::constellation_msg::{Key, KeyModifiers};
-use std::borrow::ToOwned;
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use util::str::DOMString;
 
@@ -45,8 +44,8 @@ impl KeyboardEvent {
         KeyboardEvent {
             uievent: UIEvent::new_inherited(),
             key: Cell::new(None),
-            key_string: DOMRefCell::new("".to_owned()),
-            code: DOMRefCell::new("".to_owned()),
+            key_string: DOMRefCell::new(DOMString::new()),
+            code: DOMRefCell::new(DOMString::new()),
             location: Cell::new(0),
             ctrl: Cell::new(false),
             alt: Cell::new(false),
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ impl KeyboardEvent {
                key_code: u32) -> Root<KeyboardEvent> {
         let ev = KeyboardEvent::new_uninitialized(window);
         ev.InitKeyboardEvent(type_, canBubble, cancelable, view, key_string, location,
-                             "".to_owned(), repeat, "".to_owned());
+                             DOMString::new(), repeat, DOMString::new());
         // FIXME(https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/23338)
         {
             let ev = ev.r();
diff --git a/components/script/dom/messageevent.rs b/components/script/dom/messageevent.rs
index 2509031abdc..c418df4de3c 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/messageevent.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/messageevent.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,10 @@ pub struct MessageEvent {
 
 impl MessageEvent {
     pub fn new_uninitialized(global: GlobalRef) -> Root<MessageEvent> {
-        MessageEvent::new_initialized(global, HandleValue::undefined(), "".to_owned(), "".to_owned())
+        MessageEvent::new_initialized(global,
+                                      HandleValue::undefined(),
+                                      DOMString::new(),
+                                      DOMString::new())
     }
 
     pub fn new_initialized(global: GlobalRef,
@@ -77,7 +80,7 @@ impl MessageEvent {
                           message: HandleValue) {
         let messageevent = MessageEvent::new(
             scope, "message".to_owned(), false, false, message,
-            "".to_owned(), "".to_owned());
+            DOMString::new(), DOMString::new());
         messageevent.upcast::<Event>().fire(target);
     }
 }
diff --git a/components/script/dom/node.rs b/components/script/dom/node.rs
index ad1c4a4af81..6b5cf8be2f2 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/node.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/node.rs
@@ -784,14 +784,14 @@ impl Node {
             baseURI: self.BaseURI(),
             parent: self.GetParentNode().map(|node| node.get_unique_id()).unwrap_or("".to_owned()),
             nodeType: self.NodeType(),
-            namespaceURI: "".to_owned(), //FIXME
+            namespaceURI: DOMString::new(), //FIXME
             nodeName: self.NodeName(),
             numChildren: self.ChildNodes().Length() as usize,
 
             //FIXME doctype nodes only
-            name: "".to_owned(),
-            publicId: "".to_owned(),
-            systemId: "".to_owned(),
+            name: DOMString::new(),
+            publicId: DOMString::new(),
+            systemId: DOMString::new(),
             attrs: self.downcast().map(Element::summarize).unwrap_or(vec![]),
 
             isDocumentElement:
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ impl Node {
                     .map(|elem| elem.upcast::<Node>() == self)
                     .unwrap_or(false),
 
-            shortValue: self.GetNodeValue().unwrap_or("".to_owned()), //FIXME: truncate
+            shortValue: self.GetNodeValue().unwrap_or(DOMString::new()), //FIXME: truncate
             incompleteValue: false, //FIXME: reflect truncation
         }
     }
@@ -1903,7 +1903,7 @@ impl NodeMethods for Node {
 
     // https://dom.spec.whatwg.org/#dom-node-textcontent
     fn SetTextContent(&self, value: Option<DOMString>) {
-        let value = value.unwrap_or(String::new());
+        let value = value.unwrap_or(DOMString::new());
         match self.type_id() {
             NodeTypeId::DocumentFragment |
             NodeTypeId::Element(..) => {
diff --git a/components/script/dom/range.rs b/components/script/dom/range.rs
index 1675036e80b..6175ba4383e 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/range.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/range.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use dom::node::Node;
 use dom::text::Text;
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use std::cmp::{Ord, Ordering, PartialEq, PartialOrd};
+use util::str::DOMString;
 
 #[dom_struct]
 pub struct Range {
@@ -524,7 +525,7 @@ impl RangeMethods for Range {
                 // Step 4.4.
                 try!(end_data.ReplaceData(start_offset,
                                           end_offset - start_offset,
-                                          "".to_owned()));
+                                          DOMString::new()));
                 // Step 4.5.
                 return Ok(fragment);
             }
@@ -560,7 +561,7 @@ impl RangeMethods for Range {
                 // Step 15.4.
                 try!(start_data.ReplaceData(start_offset,
                                             start_node.len() - start_offset,
-                                            "".to_owned()));
+                                            DOMString::new()));
             } else {
                 // Step 16.1.
                 let clone = child.CloneNode(false);
@@ -595,7 +596,7 @@ impl RangeMethods for Range {
                 // Step 18.3.
                 try!(fragment.upcast::<Node>().AppendChild(&clone));
                 // Step 18.4.
-                try!(end_data.ReplaceData(0, end_offset, "".to_owned()));
+                try!(end_data.ReplaceData(0, end_offset, DOMString::new()));
             } else {
                 // Step 19.1.
                 let clone = child.CloneNode(false);
diff --git a/components/script/dom/testbinding.rs b/components/script/dom/testbinding.rs
index 9e6d98dc3dd..6e78e4e3316 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/testbinding.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/testbinding.rs
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn SetUnrestrictedDoubleAttribute(&self, _: f64) {}
     fn DoubleAttribute(&self) -> Finite<f64> { Finite::wrap(0.) }
     fn SetDoubleAttribute(&self, _: Finite<f64>) {}
-    fn StringAttribute(&self) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn StringAttribute(&self) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn SetStringAttribute(&self, _: DOMString) {}
     fn UsvstringAttribute(&self) -> USVString { USVString("".to_owned()) }
     fn SetUsvstringAttribute(&self, _: USVString) {}
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn SetInterfaceAttribute(&self, _: &Blob) {}
     fn UnionAttribute(&self) -> HTMLElementOrLong { eLong(0) }
     fn SetUnionAttribute(&self, _: HTMLElementOrLong) {}
-    fn Union2Attribute(&self) -> EventOrString { eString("".to_owned()) }
+    fn Union2Attribute(&self) -> EventOrString { eString(DOMString::new()) }
     fn SetUnion2Attribute(&self, _: EventOrString) {}
     fn Union3Attribute(&self) -> EventOrUSVString { eUSVString(USVString("".to_owned())) }
     fn SetUnion3Attribute(&self, _: EventOrUSVString) {}
@@ -115,16 +115,16 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn SetDoubleAttributeNullable(&self, _: Option<Finite<f64>>) {}
     fn GetByteStringAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<ByteString> { Some(ByteString::new(vec!())) }
     fn SetByteStringAttributeNullable(&self, _: Option<ByteString>) {}
-    fn GetStringAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<DOMString> { Some("".to_owned()) }
+    fn GetStringAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<DOMString> { Some(DOMString::new()) }
     fn SetStringAttributeNullable(&self, _: Option<DOMString>) {}
     fn GetUsvstringAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<USVString> { Some(USVString("".to_owned())) }
     fn SetUsvstringAttributeNullable(&self, _: Option<USVString>) {}
     fn SetBinaryRenamedAttribute(&self, _: DOMString) {}
     fn ForwardedAttribute(&self) -> Root<TestBinding> { Root::from_ref(self) }
-    fn BinaryRenamedAttribute(&self) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn BinaryRenamedAttribute(&self) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn SetBinaryRenamedAttribute2(&self, _: DOMString) {}
-    fn BinaryRenamedAttribute2(&self) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
-    fn Attr_to_automatically_rename(&self) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn BinaryRenamedAttribute2(&self) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
+    fn Attr_to_automatically_rename(&self) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn SetAttr_to_automatically_rename(&self, _: DOMString) {}
     fn GetEnumAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<TestEnum> { Some(_empty) }
     fn GetInterfaceAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<Root<Blob>> {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn SetObjectAttributeNullable(&self, _: *mut JSContext, _: *mut JSObject) {}
     fn GetUnionAttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<HTMLElementOrLong> { Some(eLong(0)) }
     fn SetUnionAttributeNullable(&self, _: Option<HTMLElementOrLong>) {}
-    fn GetUnion2AttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<EventOrString> { Some(eString("".to_owned())) }
+    fn GetUnion2AttributeNullable(&self) -> Option<EventOrString> { Some(eString(DOMString::new())) }
     fn SetUnion2AttributeNullable(&self, _: Option<EventOrString>) {}
     fn BinaryRenamedMethod(&self) -> () {}
     fn ReceiveVoid(&self) -> () {}
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn ReceiveFloat(&self) -> Finite<f32> { Finite::wrap(0.) }
     fn ReceiveUnrestrictedDouble(&self) -> f64 { 0. }
     fn ReceiveDouble(&self) -> Finite<f64> { Finite::wrap(0.) }
-    fn ReceiveString(&self) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn ReceiveString(&self) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn ReceiveUsvstring(&self) -> USVString { USVString("".to_owned()) }
     fn ReceiveByteString(&self) -> ByteString { ByteString::new(vec!()) }
     fn ReceiveEnum(&self) -> TestEnum { _empty }
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn ReceiveAny(&self, _: *mut JSContext) -> JSVal { NullValue() }
     fn ReceiveObject(&self, _: *mut JSContext) -> *mut JSObject { panic!() }
     fn ReceiveUnion(&self) -> HTMLElementOrLong { eLong(0) }
-    fn ReceiveUnion2(&self) -> EventOrString { eString("".to_owned()) }
+    fn ReceiveUnion2(&self) -> EventOrString { eString(DOMString::new()) }
 
     fn ReceiveNullableBoolean(&self) -> Option<bool> { Some(false) }
     fn ReceiveNullableByte(&self) -> Option<i8> { Some(0) }
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     fn ReceiveNullableFloat(&self) -> Option<Finite<f32>> { Some(Finite::wrap(0.)) }
     fn ReceiveNullableUnrestrictedDouble(&self) -> Option<f64> { Some(0.) }
     fn ReceiveNullableDouble(&self) -> Option<Finite<f64>> { Some(Finite::wrap(0.)) }
-    fn ReceiveNullableString(&self) -> Option<DOMString> { Some("".to_owned()) }
+    fn ReceiveNullableString(&self) -> Option<DOMString> { Some(DOMString::new()) }
     fn ReceiveNullableUsvstring(&self) -> Option<USVString> { Some(USVString("".to_owned())) }
     fn ReceiveNullableByteString(&self) -> Option<ByteString> { Some(ByteString::new(vec!())) }
     fn ReceiveNullableEnum(&self) -> Option<TestEnum> { Some(_empty) }
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ impl TestBindingMethods for TestBinding {
     }
     fn ReceiveNullableObject(&self, _: *mut JSContext) -> *mut JSObject { ptr::null_mut() }
     fn ReceiveNullableUnion(&self) -> Option<HTMLElementOrLong> { Some(eLong(0)) }
-    fn ReceiveNullableUnion2(&self) -> Option<EventOrString> { Some(eString("".to_owned())) }
+    fn ReceiveNullableUnion2(&self) -> Option<EventOrString> { Some(eString(DOMString::new())) }
 
     fn PassBoolean(&self, _: bool) {}
     fn PassByte(&self, _: i8) {}
diff --git a/components/script/dom/testbindingproxy.rs b/components/script/dom/testbindingproxy.rs
index 0c323a3f4c3..120d125de72 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/testbindingproxy.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/testbindingproxy.rs
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@ pub struct TestBindingProxy {
 impl TestBindingProxyMethods for TestBindingProxy {
     fn Length(&self) -> u32 { 0 }
     fn SupportedPropertyNames(&self) -> Vec<DOMString> { vec![] }
-    fn GetNamedItem(&self, _: DOMString) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn GetNamedItem(&self, _: DOMString) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn SetNamedItem(&self, _: DOMString, _: DOMString) -> () {}
-    fn GetItem(&self, _: u32) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn GetItem(&self, _: u32) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn SetItem(&self, _: u32, _: DOMString) -> () {}
     fn RemoveItem(&self, _: DOMString) -> () {}
-    fn Stringifier(&self) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
-    fn IndexedGetter(&self, _: u32, _: &mut bool) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn Stringifier(&self) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
+    fn IndexedGetter(&self, _: u32, _: &mut bool) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
     fn NamedDeleter(&self, _: DOMString) -> () {}
     fn IndexedSetter(&self, _: u32, _: DOMString) -> () {}
     fn NamedSetter(&self, _: DOMString, _: DOMString) -> () {}
-    fn NamedGetter(&self, _: DOMString, _: &mut bool) -> DOMString { "".to_owned() }
+    fn NamedGetter(&self, _: DOMString, _: &mut bool) -> DOMString { DOMString::new() }
 
 }
diff --git a/components/script/dom/webglcontextevent.rs b/components/script/dom/webglcontextevent.rs
index ce42026b5d2..0e236ad634f 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/webglcontextevent.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/webglcontextevent.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ impl WebGLContextEvent {
                        init: &WebGLContextEventInit) -> Fallible<Root<WebGLContextEvent>> {
         let status_message = match init.statusMessage.as_ref() {
             Some(message) => message.clone(),
-            None => "".to_owned(),
+            None => DOMString::new(),
         };
 
         let bubbles = if init.parent.bubbles {
diff --git a/components/script/dom/xmlhttprequest.rs b/components/script/dom/xmlhttprequest.rs
index 3d24eb956cf..aa617abcb0c 100644
--- a/components/script/dom/xmlhttprequest.rs
+++ b/components/script/dom/xmlhttprequest.rs
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ impl XMLHttpRequest {
             timeout: Cell::new(0u32),
             with_credentials: Cell::new(false),
             upload: JS::from_rooted(&XMLHttpRequestUpload::new(global)),
-            response_url: "".to_owned(),
+            response_url: DOMString::new(),
             status: Cell::new(0),
             status_text: DOMRefCell::new(ByteString::new(vec!())),
             response: DOMRefCell::new(ByteString::new(vec!())),
diff --git a/components/script/script_task.rs b/components/script/script_task.rs
index ff74192bab4..5455c5868fa 100644
--- a/components/script/script_task.rs
+++ b/components/script/script_task.rs
@@ -1642,9 +1642,9 @@ impl ScriptTask {
             window.evaluate_js_on_global_with_result(evalstr, jsval.handle_mut());
             let strval = FromJSValConvertible::from_jsval(self.get_cx(), jsval.handle(),
                                                           StringificationBehavior::Empty);
-            strval.unwrap_or("".to_owned())
+            strval.unwrap_or(DOMString::new())
         } else {
-            "".to_owned()
+            DOMString::new()
         };
 
         parse_html(document.r(), parse_input, final_url,
diff --git a/components/script/textinput.rs b/components/script/textinput.rs
index c75d246d3ba..ce69139d5ab 100644
--- a/components/script/textinput.rs
+++ b/components/script/textinput.rs
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ impl<T: ClipboardProvider> TextInput<T> {
         if self.selection_begin.is_none() {
             self.adjust_horizontal_by_one(dir, Selection::Selected);
         }
-        self.replace_selection("".to_owned());
+        self.replace_selection(DOMString::new());
     }
 
     /// Insert a character at the current editing point