diff --git a/examples/src/examples/physics/compound-collision.example.mjs b/examples/src/examples/physics/compound-collision.example.mjs
index 96abdfc4f42..65c1124b1fb 100644
--- a/examples/src/examples/physics/compound-collision.example.mjs
+++ b/examples/src/examples/physics/compound-collision.example.mjs
@@ -60,20 +60,10 @@ app.on('destroy', () => {
 });
 
 app.scene.ambientLight = new pc.Color(0.2, 0.2, 0.2);
-/**
- * @param {pc.Color} color - The diffuse color.
- * @returns {pc.StandardMaterial} The standard material.
- */
-function createMaterial(color) {
-    const material = new pc.StandardMaterial();
-    material.diffuse = color;
-    material.update();
-    return material;
-}
 
 // Create a couple of materials for our objects
-const red = createMaterial(new pc.Color(0.7, 0.3, 0.3));
-const gray = createMaterial(new pc.Color(0.7, 0.7, 0.7));
+const red = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: new pc.Color(0.7, 0.3, 0.3) });
+const gray = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: new pc.Color(0.7, 0.7, 0.7) });
 
 // Define a scene hierarchy in JSON format. This is loaded/parsed in
 // the parseScene function below
diff --git a/examples/src/examples/physics/falling-shapes.example.mjs b/examples/src/examples/physics/falling-shapes.example.mjs
index d59b941efb3..b5dd5824d4a 100644
--- a/examples/src/examples/physics/falling-shapes.example.mjs
+++ b/examples/src/examples/physics/falling-shapes.example.mjs
@@ -69,21 +69,10 @@ assetListLoader.load(() => {
 
     // Set the gravity for our rigid bodies
     app.systems.rigidbody.gravity.set(0, -9.81, 0);
-    /**
-     * @param {pc.Color} color - The color of the material.
-     * @returns {pc.StandardMaterial} The new material.
-     */
-    function createMaterial(color) {
-        const material = new pc.StandardMaterial();
-        material.diffuse = color;
-        // we need to call material.update when we change its properties
-        material.update();
-        return material;
-    }
 
     // create a few materials for our objects
-    const red = createMaterial(new pc.Color(1, 0.3, 0.3));
-    const gray = createMaterial(new pc.Color(0.7, 0.7, 0.7));
+    const red = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: new pc.Color(1, 0.3, 0.3) });
+    const gray = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: new pc.Color(0.7, 0.7, 0.7) });
 
     // ***********    Create our floor   *******************
 
diff --git a/examples/src/examples/physics/offset-collision.example.mjs b/examples/src/examples/physics/offset-collision.example.mjs
index 58ac3385712..1a6b80669ff 100644
--- a/examples/src/examples/physics/offset-collision.example.mjs
+++ b/examples/src/examples/physics/offset-collision.example.mjs
@@ -94,21 +94,9 @@ assetListLoader.load(() => {
     // Set the gravity for our rigid bodies
     app.systems.rigidbody.gravity.set(0, -9.81, 0);
 
-    /**
-     * @param {pc.Color} color - The color.
-     * @returns {pc.StandardMaterial} The material.
-     */
-    function createMaterial(color) {
-        const material = new pc.StandardMaterial();
-        material.diffuse = color;
-        // we need to call material.update when we change its properties
-        material.update();
-        return material;
-    }
-
     // create a few materials for our objects
-    const red = createMaterial(new pc.Color(1, 0.3, 0.3));
-    const gray = createMaterial(new pc.Color(0.7, 0.7, 0.7));
+    const red = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: new pc.Color(1, 0.3, 0.3) });
+    const gray = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: new pc.Color(0.7, 0.7, 0.7) });
 
     const floor = new pc.Entity();
     floor.addComponent('render', {
diff --git a/examples/src/examples/physics/raycast.example.mjs b/examples/src/examples/physics/raycast.example.mjs
index f5b275676f0..ebde4e19809 100644
--- a/examples/src/examples/physics/raycast.example.mjs
+++ b/examples/src/examples/physics/raycast.example.mjs
@@ -67,20 +67,9 @@ assetListLoader.load(() => {
 
     app.scene.ambientLight = new pc.Color(0.2, 0.2, 0.2);
 
-    /**
-     * @param {pc.Color} color - The color.
-     * @returns {pc.StandardMaterial} - The material.
-     */
-    function createMaterial(color) {
-        const material = new pc.StandardMaterial();
-        material.diffuse = color;
-        material.update();
-        return material;
-    }
-
     // Create a couple of materials
-    const red = createMaterial(new pc.Color(1, 0, 0));
-    const green = createMaterial(new pc.Color(0, 1, 0));
+    const red = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: pc.Color.RED });
+    const green = new pc.StandardMaterial({ diffuse: pc.Color.GREEN });
 
     // Create light
     const light = new pc.Entity();
diff --git a/src/scene/materials/standard-material.js b/src/scene/materials/standard-material.js
index d563a3415d9..364986ddce7 100644
--- a/src/scene/materials/standard-material.js
+++ b/src/scene/materials/standard-material.js
@@ -575,8 +575,9 @@ class StandardMaterial extends Material {
      *
      * // Notify the material that it has been modified
      * material.update();
+     * @param {Partial<StandardMaterial>} [options] - Options for the material.
      */
-    constructor() {
+    constructor(options) {
         super();
 
         // storage for texture and cubemap asset references
@@ -588,6 +589,10 @@ class StandardMaterial extends Material {
         this.shaderOptBuilder = new StandardMaterialOptionsBuilder();
 
         this.reset();
+        if (options) {
+            Object.assign(this, options);
+            this.update();
+        }
     }
 
     reset() {