AbstrAct In recent years we have been studying the preparation of new materials based on cellulose, using different strategies. One of the strategies involves the heterogeneous chemical modification of fibers, aiming at producing in the one hand new materials with surface hydrophobic properties by the modification with fatty acids that can be applied as reinforcing agents in composites with polyolefin matrices and, on other hand, at producing derivatives with superhydrophobic/omniphobic properties by the surface modification with perfluorinated and/or silane reagents. A different strategy involves the combination of cellulose fibers with other polysaccharides possessing unique properties, like chitosan and other emerging natural materials such as bacterial cellulose and nanofibrillated cellulose, which also opened wide perspectives on the preparations of papers with original features, as well as a wide range of promising functional materials. A general overview of the preparation, characterization and properties of these novel materials will be presented in this communication.