The ultra-low loading amount of Pt nanoparticles on three-dimensional bacterial cellulose derived carbon nanofibers (BCF) was achieved by using a modified atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The only 5 cycles of ALD led to a high dispersion of Pt nanoparticles on BCF surfaces with an average size of 2 nm, possessing an as low as 0.87 wt% of mass loading. The HER catalytic performance revealed that the as-prepared Pt/BCF have good catalytic activity and stability. The present work provides a general strategy for minimizing the demand of precious-metal catalysts while maintaining their high catalytic efficiency. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.