The present paper investigates novel composite/metal joint designs based on gradual interweaving of carbon fiber yarns with metallic fiber yarns obtaining a textile meso-structure. Various configurations of knitted and woven hybrid fabrics were produced from carbon and steel fibers and composite plates were manufactured using vacuum infusion of epoxy resin. Mechanical properties such as elastic modulus, ultimate tensile strength and strain at failure were experimentally determined. Results show rather similar values of strength for steel fiber knitted and woven composites, while for carbon fiber notably higher properties were obtained for woven composites. For different hybrid carbon/steel fiber composites a rather wide variety in properties was obtained depending on the actual meso-structure. The paper summarizes initial test results of a large-scale parametric analysis from which composites with highest strength and strain to failure will be selected for analysys of micro-damage evolution moving toward development of joints with enhanced mechanical properties.