As a social worker constantly on the move, the last thing Elizabeth Ormesher Salcedo wanted to be was tethered to a power outlet charging her cellphone. Tired of running out of juice just when she needed it most, Salcedo tapped her husband, Dan, a serial technology entrepreneur, to develop a chic solution. Several prototypes later, the duo arrived at the Everpurse, an unobtrusive clutch or handbag insert that doubles as a docking station for an iPhone or Android smartphone. Its secret? A 2500-milliampere-hour battery—sewn into the lining and invisible to the casual observer—that takes your cellphone battery from 10 to 100 percent in 100 minutes. Filling up the tank on the Everpurse itself requires six hours, a feat easily accomplished by dropping it on top of the included charging mat overnight. Together with two Chicago designers, the Salcedos developed a sleek, minimalist design with both leather and cloth options. All bags will be built in the United States. (The leather versions will be made locally in Chicago.) “We are passionate about keeping as many jobs as possible in the U.S.A.,” they say.

All bags will be built in the United States. (The leather versions will be made locally in Chicago.)

The Everpurse is currently on preorder at Kickstarter for $129 and $169 for the cloth and leather clutches, respectively. Despite 18 days still to go, Elizabeth and Dan Salcedo have already exceeded their initial funding goal of $100,000.

The money, they say, will go to building Everpurses and Everpurse charging mats for “as many backers as possible.” The two are working on additional colors and phone-compatibility types, as well as options for every budget. Birkin, schmirkin. The Everpurse is poised to be the bag everyone will clamor for.