Some natural bers like ax, hemp and others show excellent mechanical properties that make them a promising choice for the reinforcement of polymers. The increasing research on natural ber reinforced composites has still left important questions open, mainly concerning the ber-matrix interface. Compared to the well optimized glass bers, cellulose bers show very different interaction with matrix polymers and adhesion promoters. The hydrophilic cellulose structure allows for the penetration of a considerable amount of water into the amorphous regions of the bers, eventually exceeding 20% by mass, depending on ber type, preparation and environmental humidity. Even embedded in totally apolar polymers the cellulose partly retains its ability for water sorption, which results in unfavorable effects, such as dimensional changes, decrease in strength, roughening of the surface, etc.The interaction of differently prepared bers with water vapor and the effect of surface treatment is investigated by measuring the dynamics of water vapor sorption. An exponential model is used for the numerical evaluation of the sorption and desorption kinetics. The model not only allows for an excellent t of the experimental isotherms, but without any further assumptions it immediately gives evidence of the existence of two distinct mechanisms for the exchange of water vapor, related to different sorption sites. These speci c mechanisms are represented by individual sorption-desorption isotherms as components of the total isotherms. The model provides a clearer differentiation of the effects of ber preparation and modi cation with respect to interfacial interactions.