This invention concerns the first environmentally benign heterogeneous modification of polysaccharide-based material in native solid state by thiol-ene “click chemistry”. The direct reaction of a thiol with an un-activated double or triple bond by thiol-ene and thiol-enyne click modification is thermally or photochemically catalyzed and is completely metal-free and allows for a highly modular approach to modifications of fibers and fiber-based materials.