We write a lot about mobile, Internet and software technologies here at TechFlash. But the things that get us really excited are the offbeat innovations. MicroGreen Polymers would probably fall into that category.

The University of Washington spin-out today is unveiling a technology that transforms recycled plastic soda, juice and water bottles into reusable plastic which MicroGreen claims is stronger, lighter and more cost-effective than the alternatives. It does this by reducing the amount of source material needed to create new plastic products. For example, MicroGreen says that its technology can convert the source material from one 20-ounce plastic bottle into seven 12-ounce InCycle hot beverage cups.

“At MicroGreen Polymers, we’re focused on creating a world where plastic packaging is not seen as waste, but as a resource," said CEO Tom Malone in announcing the new technology. "InCycle represents a real breakthrough in ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ - it reduces the amount of material required, is a reuse of recycled PET, and can be recycled again."

MicroGreen's technology has been in development for some time. (I first wrote about the company's "eco-friendly coffee cup" back in 2006). In fact, the company was started at the UW's business plan competition in 2002 after co-founder Krishna Nadella capitalized on some underutilized materials science research at the university.

Malone told TechFlash earlier this year that it was not easy to move from "beaker scale" in a UW lab to "running thousands of pounds of plastic at a time." But he's excited to transition MicroGreen into its marketing and sales phase after eight years.

The company claims that its InCycle plastic sheets outperform recycled PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) in terms of temperature range, insulation, flexibility and impact strength.

"InCycle sheets are also highly insulating and maintain their integrity at a broader range of service temperatures (-20°F up to 400°F) compared to solid PET," the company writes. "These properties now make recycled PET well-suited for extreme temperature applications, such as freezer-to-microwave meals."

Operating from a 40,000 square foot facility in Arlington, MicroGreen plans to show off the InCycle technology early next week at the Pack Expo show in Chicago. The company's backers include Waste Management, WRF Capital, Northwest Energy Angels and others.