A carbon--carbon composite for friction products comprises an outer friction part and a load bearing structure part supporting the friction part. The friction part contains a mixture of carbon fibers, pitch powder and graphite powder, whereas the structure part is comprised of a pack of alternating layers of the mixture and layers of one member selected from the group consisting of carbon fabrics, carbon-based prepregs and carbon-based, segmented prepregs. The carbon--carbon composite is formed by way of aternatingly piling up layers of a mixture of carbon fibers, pitch powder and graphite powder and layers of one member selected from the group consisting of carbon fabrics, carbon-based prepregs and carbon-based, segmented prepregs one above the other to provide a preform, heating and pressing the preform within a mold to obtain a green body, carbonizing the green body to prepare a carbonized body, impregnating the carbonized body with pitch powder and recarbonizing the impregnated body, and subjecting the impregnated and recarbonized body to chemical vapor infiltration with hydrocarbon gas.