Abstract The purpose of this research is to look at the wear and friction properties of a unique composite material made up of fish scale powder, natural fibres, and glass fibres embedded in an epoxy matrix. The growing demand in many industries for eco-friendly and sustainable materials has resulted in the development of hybrid composites that combine natural and synthetic reinforcements. The goal of this study is to improve the wear resistance and frictional qualities of composite material under dry sliding conditions. The wear and friction behaviour of the composite is optimized using the Response Surface and Taguchi approach, which entails constructing a set of trials based on a statistical model. The significant components, which include fish scale powder content, natural fibre type and content, and sliding parameters, are carefully varied to determine the best combination that results in the least amount of wear and friction. The accuracy of the regression models exceeded expectations. According to Taguchi’s findings, F and V have the largest impact on wear loss and friction, respectively. Fish scale powder has shown great promise as a filler for enhancing the wear resistance of composites, as seen by the study’s findings. The optimized composite has exceptional wear resistance and low friction, making it a suitable alternative for dry sliding applications.