To provide a friction material exhibiting excellent durability which maintains reinforcing effects and suffers from no changes in braking performances during long-term service.

(1) The friction material comprises a reinforcing fiber, a friction modifying material and a binding material, where the reinforcing fiber comprises a polyketone fiber which is mainly composed of a 1-oxotrimethylene recurring unit and has a density of 1.280-1.350 g/cm3. (2) The polyketone fiber has a tensile strength of 5-30 cN/dtex and a tensile modulus of 100-1,000 cN/dtex in the friction material. (3) The compounded amount of the polyketone fiber in the friction material is 1-30 wt% of the whole friction material.